India is stepping up efforts to protect elephants from deaths on railway tracks, which have been steadily increasing in recent years.

To address this, the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) is developing eco-friendly infrastructure solutions aimed at reducing these accidents. The measures under consideration include speed restrictions for trains moving through elephant habitats, the use of seismic sensors to detect elephant movement near tracks, and the construction of underpasses, ramps, and solar-powered fencing at high-risk crossing points.

Officials say these steps are designed to balance the country’s need for modern transport infrastructure with the urgent need to safeguard wildlife. By creating safer passageways and improving early-warning systems, the initiative seeks to protect elephant populations while reducing conflict.

Image Credit: Sourabh Bharti