Two underpasses for elephant crossing, level crossings for animals, and an emergency road for easy access to railway tracks are among steps mooted for averting elephant deaths due to train hits on the Palakkad-Coimbatore stretch.
The 16-point suggestions drawn up by the Central Project Elephant Monitoring Committee of the Project Elephant Division of the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, were forwarded to the Chief Wildlife Wardens of Kerala and Tamil Nadu recently.
The latest in the series of elephant deaths on rail tracks was on November 26 when three elephants were mowed down by a train at Mavuthampathi village, near Navakkarai, in Tamil Nadu.
Incidentally, the proposal for constructing two underpasses in Line B between Ettimadai and Walayar stations was mooted 11 years ago. Though the Tamil Nadu forest department was supposed to fund the project, the committee suggested that Railways meet the expense as funds did not come as expected.
Level-crossings for animals that combine fencing, cattle guards, and animal-warning systems have been suggested at sites with high probability of animal movement. Early warning systems that will generate sound and get triggered by an approaching train have also been mooted.
Installation of signboards on the Tamil Nadu side of the rail lines for alerting loco drivers of speed restrictions and blowing horns at vulnerable points and GSM-based alert systems to warn about elephant presence near tracks may be explored.
The forest departments have agreed to allow Railways to do earth work to prepare ramps to enable easy passage of elephants, especially in embankments. The ramps shall be of 50-metre width for easy movement of elephant herds, the panel suggested.
As most accidents between 2002 and 2021 occurred on Line B, Railways should consider the suggestion to shift few passenger trains operating at night from Line B to A. The future developments for additional trains shall be planned for Line A and any new line towards Line B shall be avoided.
