New Delhi: The Centre outlined a national plan to reduce elephant train collisions, identifying 77 critical railway stretches for mitigation across India, the government said on Thursday.
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change organised a two-day workshop on policy implementation to minimise elephant mortalities on railway tracks. The event took place at the Wildlife Institute of India in Dehradun on March 10 and 11.
The Project Elephant Division hosted the workshop in collaboration with the Wildlife Institute of India. Around 40 participants attended the event, including officials from the Ministry of Railways, state forest departments and conservation scientists.
Officials said India holds more than 60 percent of the global Asian elephant population. However, railway expansion across elephant habitats has increased the risk of elephant train collisions in several states.
The problem is particularly severe in Assam, West Bengal, Uttarakhand, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand. Habitat fragmentation and growing rail infrastructure have intensified the threat.
To address the issue, authorities identified 110 sensitive railway stretches across elephant habitats and another 17 stretches in two tiger-range states.
Joint teams from Project Elephant, the Wildlife Institute of India, state forest departments and Indian Railways conducted field surveys to assess the risk zones.
Elephant train collisions mitigation structures planned
The surveys examined 127 railway stretches covering 3,452.4 kilometres across the country. Experts then prioritised 77 high-risk stretches spanning 1,965.2 kilometres in 14 states for immediate mitigation.
Officials recommended 705 structures to reduce elephant train collisions along these routes. The proposed measures include 503 ramps and level crossings to guide wildlife movement.
The plan also includes 72 bridge extensions and modifications to improve safe passage for animals. In addition, authorities proposed 39 fencing or trenching structures to control access to railway tracks.
The mitigation package also includes 65 underpasses and 22 overpasses to allow wildlife to cross railway lines safely. Four exit ramps have also been suggested for emergency escape routes.
Several railway expansion projects already include wildlife-friendly infrastructure. One example is the Gevra Road–Pendra Road railway line passing through the Achanakmar-Amarkantak elephant corridor in Chhattisgarh.
Similar interventions are underway in Maharashtra under the Darekasa–Salekasa railway track tripling project and the Nagbhid–Itwari gauge conversion project.
Another important project involves the Wadsa–Gadchiroli railway line, which intersects the Kanha–Navegaon–Tadoba–Indravati tiger corridor in Maharashtra.
A major intervention is also planned in Assam. Authorities will elevate a 3.5 kilometre section of the Azara–Kamakhya railway line that passes through the Rani–Garbhanga–Deepor Beel elephant corridor.
This stretch recorded several elephant deaths in previous years. Elevating the railway track will allow elephants to move safely through the corridor.
Officials are also testing new technologies to reduce elephant train collisions. One innovation is the Distributed Acoustic System based intrusion detection system.
This system detects vibrations along railway tracks and alerts authorities about wildlife movement. Pilot installations now operate in four sections of the North East Frontier Railway in Assam.
These installations cover 64.03 kilometres of elephant corridors and 141 kilometres of railway block sections.
Authorities are also testing an artificial intelligence early-warning system in Madukkarai in Tamil Nadu. The system uses 12 tower-mounted cameras equipped with thermal and motion sensors.
It detects elephant movement within 100 metres of railway tracks. Once detection occurs, it automatically alerts forest and railway officials.
This allows trains to slow down and gives elephants time to cross the tracks safely.
Workshop participants also discussed major drivers behind elephant train collisions. These include habitat fragmentation, land-use change, train speed, night operations and seasonal elephant movements.
Regional working groups reviewed mitigation efforts across major elephant landscapes. These include the Shivalik-Gangetic Plains, Central India and Eastern Ghats, North-East India and the Western Ghats.
Experts also highlighted the need for stronger coordination between railway authorities and forest departments.
Participants recommended improved early-warning systems, dedicated wildlife crossings, better signage and stronger data sharing.
Officials said the discussions will contribute to a national roadmap under Project Elephant and the Ministry of Railways to minimise elephant train collisions through coordinated action.
