Indian Railways launches ‘Kumki’ campaign for elephant safety in Odisha's Athagarh with IDS

The Railways department in Odisha has launched a special Kumki campaign to protect elephants from accidents on railway tracks. Under the initiative, railway employees will be alerted before elephants approach the tracks, and loco pilots of trains running on those routes will also receive direct messages. For this purpose, the Indian Railways is installing the Intrusion Detection System (IDS).

To test the IDS system, the Railways has brought a mahout with a trained elephant from Chandaka. The first round of testing is being conducted near the railway line that passes through the forest adjacent to Ghantikhal under the Athagarh Forest Division. 

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The testing is being carried out based on the elephant’s weight and walking speed. If the trials are successful, the system will be implemented further, informed the Additional Divisional Forest Officer of Athagarh.

Data Collection In Progress

Biswal Chichi Lichi, ACF, Athagarh Forest Division, said, "After the installation of the IDS system near Ghantikhal Station, they are continuing the testing. The officials are collecting various types of data through the testing procedure before it is implemented in a full-fledged manner. They have already collected wild animal movement data, and now they have brought a Kumki elephant from Chandaka forest along with its mahout. They are assisting in the testing procedure."

Effort To Reduce Elephant Deaths

She added further, "After the testing is done, it will be implemented fully, and the railways department aims to curb the number of elephant deaths because of trains. The loco-pilot would receive the direct message through the IDS system. The loco-pilot can then stop the train from a safe distance when they receive the notification of the elephant being close to the tracks."