Haldwani, Feb. 7 -- The Railways has decided to install an artificial intelligence (AI)-based intrusion detection system along railway tracks to prevent elephant deaths in the Kumaon region, officials aware of the matter said. Thermal cameras, buzzer devices and honeybee fencing are also being installed as part of the initiative, they said. North Eastern Railway chief public relations officer Pankaj Singh said the move aims to reduce accidents involving elephants, which often stray onto railway tracks during train operations. "To check such incidents, an AI-enabled intrusion detection system is being installed to ensure timely alerts and preventive action," Singh said. He said the system operates through a Distributed Acoustic Sensor (DAS) based on optical fibre technology. The system uses pre-fed movement patterns of elephants to detect their presence near railway tracks, he said. "Once elephant movement is detected, the system immediately sends alerts to the loco pilot, station master and control room, enabling trains to be stopped in time," he said. Singh said the AI-based system will be installed across 99.18 route kilometres under the North Eastern Railway. In the first phase, work is underway on 24 route kilometres, covering Lalkuan-Gularbhoj (15.8 km), Chhatarpur-Haldi Road (1.2 km), Haldi Road-Lalkuan (2.7 km), Pantnagar-Lalkuan (1.2 km) and Lalkuan-Haldwani (3.2 km). Preparations are also underway to extend the system to the Kashipur-Ramnagar and Khatima-Banbasa sections, he added. "An elephant corridor has also been identified in sensitive areas," Singh said....