This Chennai Engineer Used RTIs to Save Elephants & Clean a Lake. Now He Shares How You Can Too

What did Dayanand Krishnan discover by mapping railway records about where and when elephants were being hit by trains?

Dayanand Krishnan and R Pandiarajan obtained railway records about elephant deaths along tracks near the Tamil Nadu-Kerala border. The records included locations, timings and railway sections. Dayanand plotted these details on maps to look for repeated patterns. This mattered because accidents were not spread randomly across every kilometre of track.

The mapping identified stretches that were especially dangerous for elephants. Some risky areas were close to water sources, which can attract elephants as they move through their natural habitat. Knowing both place and time helps officials focus attention where collisions are more likely, rather than applying safety measures blindly across the entire railway network.

The findings received media attention and supported stronger protection measures. The Madras High Court pursued thermal cameras and AI-based detection systems along the tracks. The article does not provide a complete list of collision times, but it shows how public records helped turn scattered deaths into usable safety information.

What is India’s Right to Information (RTI) Act, and what kind of government records can a citizen request under it?

The Right to Information Act, 2005 gives every Indian citizen the right to request information held by public authorities. These authorities can include municipal corporations, government ministries and railway departments. The law matters because it lets ordinary people seek official records and examine how public institutions and public money are being managed.

A citizen can request records about an unfinished road, water-quality reports, the status of a government project or how public money has been spent. Dayanand’s railway request sought information about elephant deaths, including locations, timings and track sections. Applicants generally do not need a lawyer or an explanation for wanting the information.

An application usually requires a written or online request and the prescribed fee, generally Rs 10. The authority is generally required to respond within 30 days. The article presents RTI as a practical accountability tool, but useful results depend on addressing the request to the authority that holds the records.

How many elephant sightings have been safely recorded on the Tamil Nadu side, and what technology is being used to detect elephants near the tracks?

Around 6,000 to 7,000 elephant sightings have been safely recorded on the Tamil Nadu side, according to Dayanand Krishnan. This figure indicates the scale of elephant movement near railway lines and the need for systems that can detect animals before trains reach them.

The safety system uses thermal cameras and AI-based detection systems along the tracks. Thermal cameras can support detection in conditions where ordinary observation may be difficult, while the AI system helps identify elephants near railway lines. The article links these technologies to measures pursued by the Madras High Court after the RTI-based study received attention.

Dayanand says the system is now implemented on the Tamil Nadu side. Kerala remains a serious concern, however. An elephant and its calf were killed near Palakkad on 12 August 2026, and the Madras High Court called for the Tamil Nadu detection system to be extended to Kerala’s railway stretch.

What happened after the RTI-based study, and how did it influence safety measures ordered by the Madras High Court?

The RTI-based study turned railway records into evidence about dangerous stretches of track. Its findings drew media attention and highlighted the need for better protection of elephants. This showed that information obtained by citizens could influence public discussion and official action.

The Madras High Court subsequently pursued safety measures including thermal cameras and AI-based detection systems along the tracks. These systems are intended to detect elephants near railway lines, allowing danger to be identified before a train collision. Dayanand says the system has been implemented on the Tamil Nadu side, where around 6,000 to 7,000 sightings have been safely recorded.

The problem has not ended across the border. On 12 August 2026, a train near Palakkad in Kerala killed an elephant and its calf. The Madras High Court has since called for the detection system operating in Tamil Nadu to be extended to Kerala, showing that the study’s implications now reach beyond its original area.

Why are the locations, timings, and nearby water sources of elephant sightings important for preventing train collisions?

Locations, timings and nearby water sources matter because elephants move through their natural habitat, and some railway stretches are more dangerous than others. Mapping these details helps reveal where elephants are likely to reach or cross tracks. It also helps show when monitoring and warnings may be most necessary.

Dayanand plotted railway records containing accident locations and timings. The patterns identified particularly dangerous sections, including areas close to water sources. Water can be an important feature in understanding why elephants appear near certain parts of the railway line, although the article does not claim it explains every collision. The key mechanism is matching animal incidents with geography and time.

This information can guide practical safety decisions. Officials can focus thermal cameras, AI detection systems and other measures on identified risk areas. The Tamil Nadu system has been implemented, while the Madras High Court has called for its extension to Kerala after an elephant and calf were killed near Palakkad on 12 August 2026.

How does an RTI application work in practice, including choosing the correct Public Information Officer, requesting existing records, and receiving a response?

An RTI application starts with identifying the public authority that holds the information and its Public Information Officer, or PIO. Departments may list PIOs by zone or ward. If uncertain, an applicant can contact the department. Choosing correctly matters because sending a request elsewhere may cause delays or require a transfer.

The request should seek existing records, not explanations officials would need to create. For example, ask for a project’s current status, approved completion date and progress reports instead of asking why it is delayed. Section 6(1) covers requests, while Section 6(3) concerns transfers to another public authority. Mentioning these sections is recommended but not required.

Keep the application focused, with about 10 to 20 clear points as a practical guide. Submit it through the appropriate online portal or offline process, with the generally prescribed Rs 10 fee. The authority is generally required to respond within 30 days.

What is GIS, and how can geographic information systems turn government records into maps that reveal patterns and guide public decisions?

GIS, or geographic information systems, are tools for organising and displaying information linked to places. In this case, GIS helped turn railway records into a map of elephant accidents. The map made the information easier to compare across railway sections and helped reveal patterns that might be difficult to see in a list of records.

Dayanand plotted accident locations and examined their timings and track sections. The mapped results showed that some stretches were especially dangerous, including areas close to water sources. This is the key mechanism: records are linked to geography, then compared to identify clusters, repeated risks or important nearby features. The article describes Dayanand as a GIS consultant from Chennai.

Such maps can guide public decisions by showing where safety measures should be concentrated. The findings supported attention to thermal cameras and AI-based detection systems. GIS does not itself prevent collisions; it helps officials and citizens understand the problem and choose more targeted responses using documented evidence.

Key Facts:

📌 Dayanand mapped elephant accident locations using railway records.

📌 Dangerous stretches included areas close to water sources.

📌 The data helped identify where and when collisions occurred.

📌 The RTI Act, 2005 gives every Indian citizen a right to request information.

📌 Citizens can request water-quality reports and government project records.

📌 The prescribed RTI application fee is generally Rs 10.

📌 Tamil Nadu recorded around 6,000 to 7,000 elephant sightings safely.