• SL Railways approves trial run for Peradeniya University’s invention 

The Department of Railways has approved a trial run for an artificial intelligence (AI)-based camera system invented by the Engineering Faculty of the University of Peradeniya, designed to prevent trains colliding with wild elephants on railway tracks.

It was recently reported that the Engineering Faculty has invented a camera system which will help prevent train-wild elephant collisions.

The Daily Morning queried Railways General Manager Dhammika Jayasundara as to whether the department would adopt the invention. In response, he said that the department has already approved a trial run. "They finalised this invention last month (January), and we have granted approval for a trial run during the course of this week."

The newly invented camera system, based on artificial intelligence (AI), is reported to have the capability to signal train drivers about any object within a 500-metre radius ahead of the train and is fitted onto the railway engine.

Over the past, as reported in the media, there have been several train-elephant collisions, especially in areas where railway tracks cut through elephant habitats, crossings and corridors. The latest incident, as widely reported on 20 February, was where six elephants were killed after being hit by the Batticaloa-Colombo train, 'Meenagaya'.