Overpass plan to avert elephant deaths

TT, Alipurduar: Senior forest officials said here on Wednesday that they would soon send a proposal to the Northeast Frontier Railway, seeking construction of an "overpass" (a ramp over the railway track) in one of the elephant corridors along the Dooars rail track that connect Siliguri Junction with Alipurduar Junction.

They held a meeting with railway officials, 48 hours after an elephant was mowed down by a goods train in Chapramari Wildlife Sanctuary, to discuss prospective steps which could be taken to reduce such deaths.

Railway officials have sought permission to clean the vegetation on both sides of the tracks for clear visibility of loco pilots.

"In the recent incident, the loco pilot could not see the elephant beside the tracks due to fog cover. He had tried to stop the train but failed. There was no negligence on his part but the incident is unfortunate," said C. Raman, divisional railway manager, Alipurduar division, NFR.

He said a mechanism was in place to prevent such elephant deaths. "If during patrolling, any forester spots an elephant close to the rail track, he immediately informs the gateman at the nearest manned level crossing. The gateman will inform the railway control room and thus, drivers of concerned trains will get the message," the DRM added.