Tamil Nadu: These elephants are dying on rail tracks – can AI save them?

Project manager Ashish Rajput said that the AI system’s cameras, comparable to those used by the Indian Army along the nation’s borders, are programmed to even detect humans near railway lines.

When elephants are detected within 100ft of the railway track, alerts are sent to forest and railway officials, who coordinate to slow down trains and guide the elephants away to prevent collisions. Four personnel continuously monitor the system in the control room near the railway track.

The project, launched in February, has been executed at a cost of 72.4m rupees ($867,758; £683,976), says Supriya Sahu, secretary of the Tamil Nadu Forest Department.

Previously, forest personnel conducted regular patrols along railway tracks to monitor elephant activity. Ms Sahu said this method had limitations, and ensuring complete elephant safety from accidents posed “significant challenges”.