Indian Railways develop AI-based software ‘Gajraj’ to avoid collisions, to roll out in all elephant corridors

In a bid to prevent train-elephant collisions, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced the development of 'Gajraj', an indigenous software utilising optical fibre cable (OFC) to alert the locomotive pilot of any suspicious activity on or near rail tracks.

The AI-based 'Gajraj' software, successfully tested in Assam, is set to be deployed across 700 km of elephant corridors in multiple states within the next eight months, at an estimated cost of Rs 181 crore.

Explaining the functionality, Vaishnaw said, "Using AI and OFC, the software triggers alerts upon detecting any questionable movement within 200 metres of the tracks. Vibrations caused by elephant movement alongside the rails create variations in the optical signals carried by the OFC, signalling a potential threat. The software identifies these signal disruptions as signs of movement, specifically detecting the presence and distinguishing between elephants, other animals, and humans."

He also highlighted the software's capability to discern the type of movement and the number of animals present at a given site. Alerts generated by the system reach the locomotive pilot, control room personnel, and the section station master upon detecting any movement.

The Minister underscored the urgency of the initiative, citing Railway Ministry data that revealed 45 elephant fatalities due to train accidents in the past three years. Recently, a tragic collision involving a goods train claimed the lives of three elephants, including a mother and her two calves, in Alipurduar district, West Bengal.

Vaishnaw announced plans to install these AI-powered systems in West Bengal, Odisha, Jharkhand, Assam, Kerala, certain parts of Chhattisgarh, and Tamil Nadu.

Moreover, he dispelled claims of reduced train operations post-Covid, stating that railway services resumed in December 2021 and normalised by July 2022. "Before Covid pandemic, railways operated 10,186 trains everyday for passenger transportation, now we are operating 10,754 train services, which is 568 higher. Last year, 5,243 km of new Railway tracks were added in the network and this year we have targeted to cross the mark. We will be anywhere doing 5,500 to 6,000 km of new railway track," Vaishnaw said.

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