Sri Lanka to launch technology pilot at 13 locations to prevent elephant-train collisions
Secretary to the President Dr Nandika Sanath Kumanayake exchanges the MoU document with Director General of the Department of Wildlife Conservation M.S.L.R.P. Marasinghe at the President’s Media Centre.
Sri Lanka will launch a pilot project next month at 13 locations to use new technology to prevent wild elephants from being hit by trains, following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the initiative.
The MoU was signed yesterday afternoon (September 1) at the President’s Media Centre under the patronage of Secretary to the President Dr Nandika Sanath Kumanayake.
The project is being coordinated through the “Clean Sri Lanka” programme and will be implemented as a public-private partnership involving Sri Lanka Railways, the Department of Wildlife Conservation and the Forest Department, with full financial support from People’s Bank.
The system uses three-beam detection, passive infrared (PIR) sensors, automatic temperature sensors and a tamper alarm system. It is designed to detect animals weighing more than 20 kilograms as well as unauthorised interference with the equipment.
Red, yellow and green signal lights will be installed on either side of the railway tracks. A special screen installed inside the locomotive cab will also alert the train driver in advance and indicate the exact location of an elephant.
A demonstration test of the system was successfully conducted at the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage premises in the presence of relevant officials. A report on the system was prepared following the test.
The technology will be introduced as a pilot project from next month at 13 locations where accidents involving wild elephants and trains frequently occur.
A newly developed website, “slps.lk”, is also scheduled to be launched, allowing the progress of the project to be viewed live.
Additional General Manager (Operation) of Sri Lanka Railways P.D.S.B. Chandrasena, Director General of the Department of Wildlife Conservation M.S.L.R.P. Marasinghe, Conservator General of Forests S.C. Palamakumbura and Chairman of People’s Bank Chandana Guniyangoda signed the MoU.
Officials from the Clean Sri Lanka Secretariat, including Additional Secretary to the President (Clean Sri Lanka) Engineer S.P.C. Sugeeshwara, as well as senior officials from Sri Lanka Railways, the Department of Wildlife Conservation, the Forest Department and People’s Bank, were also present.