Colombo: In a significant step towards safeguarding wildlife, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed to introduce technological solutions aimed at preventing collisions between wild elephants and trains. The signing ceremony took place at the President’s Media Centre, with Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake presiding over the event.
According to News.LK, the project is being rolled out as a public-private partnership under the ‘Clean Sri Lanka’ programme. Key participants include the Railway Department, the Department of Wildlife Conservation, and the Forest Conservation Department, with full financial backing from People’s Bank. The initiative aims to mitigate accidents involving wild elephants by deploying advanced technology.
The system to be implemented features a combination of three-beam detection, passive infrared (PIR) sensors, automatic temperature sensors, and a tamper alarm system. These elements collectively work to detect animals weighing more than 20 kilograms and alert train drivers about their presence. Signal lights in red, yellow, and green, along with a special screen inside the locomotive cab, will serve as early warning mechanisms to pinpoint the location of elephants along the tracks.
A successful demonstration of the system was conducted at the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage premises, in the presence of relevant officials, which led to the preparation of a comprehensive report on its effectiveness. The pilot project is set to launch next month across 13 high-risk locations for elephant-train accidents. Additionally, a newly developed website will be introduced to facilitate real-time monitoring of the project’s progress.
The MoU was signed by Additional General Manager of Railways P.D.S.B. Chandrasena, Director General of Wildlife Conservation M.S.L.R.P. Marasinghe, Conservator General of Forests S.C. Palamakuumbura, and Chairman of People’s Bank Chandana Guniyangoda. The event was also attended by officials from the Clean Sri Lanka Secretariat, including Presidential Additional Secretary (Clean Sri Lanka) Engineer S.P.C. Sugeeshwara, alongside senior representatives from the involved departments and People’s Bank.