Lok Sabha Question No. 3807 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-12-18
Subject: Installation of AI enabled Sensors on the Railway Tracks
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Shri Gyaneshwar Patil

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3807 TO BE ANSWERED ON 18.12.2024

## INSTALLATION OF AI ENABLED SENSORS ON THE RAILWAY TRACKS

†3807.  SHRI GYANESHWAR PATIL:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has taken cognizance of the deaths of wild animals  on  railway  track  due  to  which  passenger  trains  services  are disrupted for a long time;
- (b) if so, the details thereof including the steps taken by the Government to prevent the death of wild animals and humans beings while crossing railway tracks;
- (c)  whether  the  Government  proposes  to  install  AI  enabled  sensors  to alert  loco  pilots  about  obstructions  on  the  track  at  least  two  km  in advance;
- (d)  if  so,  the  details  of  the  initiatives  taken  by  the  Government  in  this regard; and
- (e) the details of the timeline set and the budget allocation made for this purpose?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, INFORMATION & BROADCASTING AND ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

(SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)

- (a)  to  (e)  Indian  Railways  has  taken  up  various  measures  in  close coordination with Forest department, so that no harm is caused to wild

animals  during  train  operation.  These  measures  include  imposition  of suitable  speed  restrictions  in  identified  locations  of  animal  corridors, regular meetings with concerned forest officials to update and sensitize the train crew and station master for alertness and awareness, clearance  of  vegetation  and  edible  items  surrounding  the  track  within railway land etc. Elephant trackers are also installed/ engaged by Forest department  which  give timely alert to station master for further communication to loco pilots.

Other  measures  like  construction  of  underpasses  and  ramps  for  the movement of elephants at identified locations, provision of fencing along the track etc. have been taken up. Installation of innovative Honey bee buzzer device at crossing locations in elephant corridor areas to prevent the movement of wild animals/ Elephants near Railway tracks have been done. This device acts as a repellent to move away elephants from track and 96 such Honey bee buzzers are operational in various locations of Northeast  Frontier  Railway.  Thermal  vision  camera  has  also  been developed  for  detecting  presence  of  wild  animals  on  straight  track during night/poor visibility which alerts loco pilots for presence of wild animals.  LED  lights  with  solar  system  are  also  provided  in  forest  area near track to prevent entry of elephants.

Indian Railways has taken up the work for installation of Optical Fiber Cable  based  Distributed  Acoustic  Sensors  (DAS)  also  known  as  AI enabled  Intrusion  Detection  System  (IDS)  for  detecting  presence  of Elephants/  wild  animals  on  track  or  nearby  track  at  identified  corridor locations. This system  helps  to get advance  intimation regarding movement  of  Elephants/  wild  animals  for  taking  timely  action  and transmitting alerts to loco pilots, station master and control room.

For this purpose, works have been sanctioned for identified corridors of Indian  Railways  with  total  1158  Rkm  at  total  cost  of  Rs.  208  Crore covering NFR, ECoR, SR, NR, SER, NER and WR.

So  far,  works  of  total  582.25  Rkm  have  been  awarded  covering  -NFR (141  Rkm),  ECoR  (349.4  Rkm),  SR  (55.85  Rkm)  and  NER  (36  Rkm) respectively out of which the work has already been commissioned over 141 Rkm in Northeast Frontier Railway.

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