CHALSA JN

N. F. Railway o­n 20^th March, 2023 signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with RailTel Corporation of India Ltd, for installation of Intrusion Detection System (IDS) to avert train-elephant collision and disaster mitigation measures. N. F. Railway has been taking many initiatives to prevent and detect movement of wild animals, especially elephants, approaching the tracks. Installation of IDS in important sections is o­ne such of them.

 The MoU was signed by G.R. Das, Chief Communication Engineer, N. F. Railway and Zakir Siddiqui, Executive Director/Eastern Region/Railtel in presence of Shri Anshul Gupta, General Manager/N. F. Railway and Shri Sanjay Kumar, Chief Managing Director/RailTel Corporation of India Ltd.

After 100% success of the pilot project o­n IDS that was undertaken by N.F. Railway in the Chalsa – Hasimara section of the Dooars area under Alipurduar Division in West Bengal and Lanka – Hawaipur section under Lumding Division in Assam, it has now been decided to install the system gradually in all other elephant corridors spread over N.F. Railway.

 The system is based o­n Artificial Intelligence (AI) and existing optical fibres will be used as sensors to identify movements of wild animals at locations and alert control offices, station masters, gateman and loco pilots. It uses fibre optic based acoustic system working o­n the principle of dialysis scattering phenomenon to sense the real time presence of elephants o­n the track. The AI based software can monitor un-usual movements up to a stretch of 60 km. In addition to it the IDS will also help in detecting rail fracture, trespassing o­n railway track and alert about disaster mitigation due to unauthorised digging near railway tracks, landslides near tracks etc.

It is important to mention here that the pilot project has already been immensely successfully in saving lives of many elephants approaching railway track from being hit by trains.

With the proliferation of LHB coaches, the old coaches of Indian Railways are being pulled out from service. These old train coaches, whose operations are discontinued by the Railways, have been utilised for coach restaurants.

Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) has also initiated to convert some of its old train coaches, which are not fit for use, by modifying them into restaurants. N. F. Railway has already opened o­ne such coach restaurant at Katihar and another coach restaurant is also ready to make operational at New Jalpaiguri station area. Works for setting up of 15 more such coach restaurants at various locations over the five divisions have also been finalised.

Setting up of two coach restaurants, o­ne each in Darjeeling and Jogbani of Katihar division have been finalised. In Alipurduar division, setting up of seven coach restaurants, o­ne each at New Coochbehar, New Alipurduar, Madarihat, Lataguri, Chalsa, Raja Bhat Khawa and New Mal has been finalised. Setting up of coach restaurants at Rangiya and Rangapara North of Rangiya division; three coach restaurants in Lumding division, two in Guwahati and o­ne in Diphu; and one coach restaurant at New Tinsukia of Tinsukia division has been finalised.

Moreover, 43 locations over N. F. Railway have been selected for introducing such coach restaurants. Coach restaurants are being planned and works are under progress at 6 locations in Katihar, 8 in Alipurduar, 14 in Rangiya, 11 in Lumding and 4 in Tinsukia divisions.

The coach restaurants are being designed with aesthetic and beautifully heritage look for attraction of travellers. People can enjoy with family and friends to have ecstatic feeling while getting experience of dining in train coaches. There will be facilities to buy food, snacks and beverages at the coach restaurants.

Apart from generating non-fare revenue for railways, this initiative of N. F. Railway is expected to create employment for both skilled and unskilled workers.