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Introduction

In a tragic incident in December 2025, seven elephants, including three adults and four calves, were killed after being hit by the Sairang-New Delhi Rajdhani Express in Assam’s Hojai district. The collision, which led to the derailment of the engine and five coaches, highlights the persistent threat posed by linear infrastructure to India’s “National Heritage Animal.”

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Reasons for Recurring Elephant Deaths

• Fragmented Migration Corridors: Railway lines often cut through traditional migratory paths, forcing herds to cross tracks while moving between fragmented forest patches for food and water.
  Eg: The Hojai accident occurred in an area frequently used by herds moving between the Kandali Pahar hills and the plains, yet it was not a “notified corridor”.
• High-Speed Operations: Trains often exceed safe speed limits in ecologically sensitive zones, making it impossible for loco-pilots to apply emergency brakes in time when a herd appears.
• Poor Visibility Conditions: A significant majority of accidents occur during the night or early morning when fog, heavy rain, or dense foliage severely limit the driver’s line of sight.
  Eg: Forest officials suspect the 2025 Hojai tragedy was exacerbated by heavy fog, which prevented the loco-pilot from spotting the 100-strong herd earlier.
• Attraction to Tracks: Waste food thrown by passengers and ripening crops (like paddy) near tracks lure elephants toward the danger zone, especially during harvest seasons.
• Steep Track Embankments: Elevated or walled tracks trap elephants, preventing escape from oncoming trains.
• Communication Coordination Gaps: There is often a lag in real-time information sharing between forest ground teams monitoring herds and the railway control rooms.

Measures Needed to Prevent Wildlife Mortality

• AI-Powered Detection Systems: Expanding the Intrusion Detection System (IDS), which uses Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) to detect elephant vibrations and alert pilots 500 meters in advance.
  Eg: Indian Railways recently awarded tenders to extend the AI-based IDS over 1,122 route kilometers across the network.
• Scientific Crossing Infrastructure: Constructing well-designed underpasses, overpasses, and earthen ramps based on animal behavior studies to provide safe passage.
  Eg: MoEFCC has identified 77 high-priority railway stretches for the construction of site-specific underpasses to reduce mortality by up to 90%.
• Strict Speed Regulation: Enforcing mandatory permanent speed restrictions (30–50 km/h) in all sensitive habitats, regardless of whether they are “officially notified” corridors.
• Vegetation and Waste Management: Regular clearing of edible vegetation and fruit-bearing trees along tracks, coupled with strict “zero-littering” policies for passengers.
  Eg: Indian Railways has issued advisories to pantry car staff to prevent food waste disposal that attracts wildlife to the tracks.
• Acoustic Deterrent Devices: Scaling up “Plan Bee,” which uses devices that broadcast the sound of honey bees to repel elephants from tracks.
• Real-Time Monitoring Integration: Establishing 24/7 joint control rooms between the Forest Department and Railways to share GPS data of collared elephants and ground-patrol sightings.
  

Conclusion

The loss of eight elephants in a single incident is a reminder that conservation cannot be secondary to infrastructure. Moving beyond “post-accident enquiries,” India must adopt an “ecology-first” engineering approach. Only through legally notified corridors and the nationwide scaling of AI-driven safety systems can we ensure a safe passage for our wildlife.

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