Indian Railways plans to deploy an AI-based surveillance system across a 700-km network, particularly in forest areas, to prevent elephant deaths caused by train collisions. The successful pilot, initially implemented in Assam on a 150-km stretch, identified elephant habitats in states like Assam, West Bengal, Odisha, Kerala, Jharkhand, Chattisgarh, and Tamil Nadu. The system, developed by railways with startup support, utilizes optical fibre cables (OFC) beneath tracks for telecommunication. Equipped with OFC, the system captures vibrations when elephants approach, sending real-time alerts to control rooms with 99.5% accuracy. The project, estimated at Rs 181 crore for 700 km, has proven effective in preventing train-elephant collisions in the Northeast, generating 9,768 alerts across 11 corridors since December 2022, averting accidents. The railways aim to collaborate with forest officials to expand this life-saving initiative.