Tamil Nadu is using army-grade AI surveillance to prevent elephant deaths on railway tracks, and it’s working!

Human activities and their urban expansion are increasingly intruding upon wildlife habitats. This has forced animals into dangerous proximity with human infrastructure, resulting in a tragic surge of accidental deaths among animal populations.

The situation is no different in Tamil Nadu, which has been grappling with the issue of elephant deaths on and near its railway tracks. The southern state has recorded at least 36 fatalities from train collisions over the past decade. In response to this pressing issue, the state's high court mandated collaborative efforts between the forest department and railways to curb these incidents.

To address this issue, Tamil Nadu has now sought help from the phenomenon that promises to change the world as we know it: artificial intelligence (AI).

Installing 12 towers equipped with advanced AI cameras along two key rail tracks near Madukkarai, the state forest department aims to detect and prevent elephant-train collisions, particularly along routes intersecting the elephants' migratory paths.

Each tower is outfitted with AI cameras capable of thermal and visible light imaging, comparable to those deployed by the Indian Army along the nation's borders. These cameras are programmed to detect elephants and humans near railway lines. When elephants are spotted within 100 feet of the tracks, alerts are swiftly relayed to forest and railway authorities, enabling them to mitigate risks by slowing down trains and guiding the animals away from harm's way.

The project has been executed at a cost of ₹7.2 crore since its launch in February this year, Supriya Sahu, secretary of the Tamil Nadu Forest Department, told the BBC.

But the AI-based surveillance system has proved its worth by demonstrating promising results, detecting nearly 400 instances of elephants approaching railway tracks and facilitating timely interventions to prevent potential accidents. This proactive approach marks a significant improvement over traditional methods, such as regular patrols by forest personnel, which often proved inadequate in ensuring elephant safety.

Encouraged by the success of this initiative, Tamil Nadu plans to expand the AI-based system to five additional vulnerable areas across the state, including Coimbatore, Dharmapuri, Hosur and Gudalur. This strategic expansion underscores the state's commitment to safeguarding wildlife and mitigating human-wildlife conflicts through innovative technological solutions.

Moreover, Tamil Nadu's adoption of AI technology reflects a broader trend in India, where initiatives like the Gajraj project — spearheaded by the federal railway ministry — aim to protect wildlife in elephant corridors across multiple states. By leveraging AI-based surveillance systems to monitor animal movements near railway tracks, these initiatives strive to prevent accidents and foster better coexistence between humans and wildlife.