Feb 28, Colombo: Sri Lanka today launched a pilot project to minimize the deaths of animals, especially of elephants due to collision with trains in the night.

With the private sector support the Department of Railways has taken the initiative of installing cameras on locomotives to minimize deaths of animals crossing the rail tracks in the night.

The first stage of the installation of cameras on locomotives took place at the Colombo Fort Railway Station today under the patronage of the Transport Minister Kumara Welgama.

The night vision camera will detect movements of any elephant or other animals within a kilometer range.

Minister Welgama, speaking at the occasion said the project was launched as a pilot project and if successful the Department intends install the camera network on trains running on the Northern rail track.

An increase in the number of elephant deaths following collisions with trains has been reported. Last year ten elephants were killed due to railway accidents.

The accidents have not only taken the lives of the elephants but also have caused damage to the locomotives or in some instances derailed the trains.

Sri Lanka Railways has identified the areas between Kekirawa and Punani on Batticaloa line, area between Galoya and China Bay in Trincomalee line and the stretch between Maho and Galgamuwa on Anuradhapura line as the most vulnerable areas for elephant accidents.