A coordinated effort between the West Bengal Forest Department and the Railways, backed by the deployment of Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS), has resulted in zero elephant deaths caused by train collisions in forest corridors of north Bengal over the past two years, a senior forest official said on Sunday.
Railway tracks cutting across key wildlife habitats, including Buxa Tiger Reserve, Jaldapara National Park, Gorumara National Park and Chapramari Wildlife Sanctuary, have recorded no train-hit elephant fatalities during this period due to joint surveillance and real-time monitoring, the official said.
A joint monitoring committee comprising forest officials stationed in railway control rooms provides live updates on elephant movement, while speed restrictions are enforced in identified corridors. “The Railways is commissioning an Intrusion Detection System (IDS) to coordinate with our officials and staff, as well as the loco drivers, about any animal presence near tracks,” the official said.
Between 2004 and 2013, more than 50 elephants were killed by trains in north Bengal, while another 30 deaths were reported between 2013 and 2023, particularly along the Madarihat-Hasimara and Rajabhatkhawa–Alipurduar Junction routes. In contrast, no elephant deaths have occurred in the past two years, he said.
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High-risk stretches include those passing through Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary, Chapramari, Jaldapara (Madarihat section) and Buxa Tiger Reserve. As part of the IDS project, AI-enabled infrared and thermal cameras have been installed along vulnerable sections to detect elephants up to 700–750 metres away, even in darkness, fog or rain.
The system is operational in areas such as the Madarihat–Nagrakata stretch and parts of Buxa Tiger Reserve, where officials say it has reduced close-call incidents and prevented fatalities. “So far, we are concerned our officials are working in close coordination with the NFR, and we have significantly reduced fatalities,” the official added.
A recent review meeting involving Conservator of Forests (Wildlife), North Bengal Bhaskar J V, officials from protected areas, and railway representatives assessed the effectiveness of the system. “We are also sharing real-time data with the Railways by merging our CCTV network with the Railways to track the movement of elephant herds,” the official said, adding that a pilot project would be launched soon.
The north Bengal initiative forms part of a nationwide 1,158-km, ₹208-crore AI-based project aimed at eliminating elephant deaths on railway tracks across vulnerable corridors.
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