The Southern Railway is installing an optical fiber-based intrusion detection system (IDS) along the 33-km stretch between Kottekkad and Madukkarai to prevent elephant deaths on the tracks. The system, costing ₹15.4 crore, will be implemented by December 2023. The IDS will detect animals using vibrations and send real-time alerts to station...
more...

masters and loco pilots. The system aims to minimize elephant deaths by providing early warnings, but the effectiveness is dependent on the distance the fiber cable is laid from the tracks. The Railway Division has also constructed two underpasses for elephant passage and is installing solar lights to improve night visibility for loco pilots. The speed limit has been temporarily reduced to 35 kmph due to recent elephant deaths, but this has caused challenges for the Railway Division.