AI Alerts to ‘Plan Bee’: How Railways saved 255 elephants from train collisions in northeast
The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) has employed artificial intelligence, speed restrictions, heightened patrolling, and its Plan Bee program to prevent train-elephant collisions, saving 255 elephants between January and September 2026. Kapinjal Kishore Sharma, Chief Public Relations Officer at NFR, disclosed the successful interventions across four divisions - Alipurduar, Rangiya, Lumding, and Tinsukia.
NFR's AI-based Intrusion Detection System, utilizing distributed acoustic system technology, offers real-time alerts upon detecting elephant movement near railway tracks. This enables timely preventive action and train crew warnings in high-risk areas. In addition, the railway implements temporary and night-time speed restrictions, as well as a Plan Bee system employing amplified honeybee sounds to deter elephants from railway tracks.
Underpass construction in identified locations provides safer routes for wildlife, reducing the need for elephants to cross tracks. Regular patrolling, vegetation clearance, and cautionary signage installation are also part of NFR's approach. Train crews and passengers are educated to avoid actions that attract elephants, such as discarding food waste near tracks. Continuous communication with the Forest Department ensures prompt responses to elephant movements.
Written by urgent.news from The Indian Express - India's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
