Gajraj System: Indian Railways to Install AI-Based Elephant Protection Software

Context: Recently, the Railway Minister unveiled an innovative AI-driven initiative-Gajraj.

AI-based Software ‘Gajraj’

• Project Cost and Scope:  The total cost of the project implementation on the 700-km tracks will be ₹181 crore.
• Elephant Train Collisions in Northeast: As per the government data, an average of of 20 elephants die due to train collisions in the country every year. Most of these incidents occur on the Northeast Frontier Railway.
• Successful Outcomes: Implemented in 11 elephant corridors in the Northeast, the system issued a remarkable 9,768 alerts within eight months, leading to the complete elimination of train-elephant collisions in the specified corridors.

What is the Gajraj System?

• It is a kind of Intrusion Detection System or IDS.
• It  is built to use the existing optical fiber cable (OFC) as sensors to identify elephant movements near railway tracks and alert locations to station masters, loco pilots, and control offices. 
• The Indian Railways has chosen the Northeast Frontier Railways to pilot this program and implement this new, cutting-edge technology in some of the worst affected areas.

How does the Gajraj system work?

• Every time an elephant steps onto the track, the system alerts the train controller, station master, train drivers, and other stakeholders who take precautionary measures to avoid imminent danger.
• A real-time alarm is generated when a movement is detected.

News Source: Livemint

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