NF Railways Adopts Measures To Prevent Pachyderm Deaths In The Forests Of North Bengal

Birendra Shandilya, Wepen.in, Mar 31, 2019: Cautious locomotive drivers of trains that run through forests can definitely save precious wildlife. Available records show that in 115 cases cautious loco drivers saved the lives of elephants in the Dooars region of North Bengal in 2018.

The 168 km railway track running between Siliguri and Alipurduar running through dense forest was converted from meter gauge to broad gauge in 2004.

With both the speed and frequency of trains increasing owing to this conversion many a wildlife have fallen prey, often mowed by speeding trains. The track passes through multiple elephant corridors.

“Since the conversion of the track in 2004 around 67 elephants have been mowed by trains in North Bengal” stated Animesh Bose, Honorary Wildlife Warden, West Bengal.

However the Railway has now adopted a number of steps to mitigate this life threat. “Various preventive measures initiated by the NF Railways have resulted in saving more than hundred elephants during last year alone” claimed Pranav Jyoti Sharma, Chief Public Relations Officer, Northern Frontier Railway.

As per available records with the NF Railway, in 2018 there were 115 cases of elephants being saved by cautious loco drivers; 119 during 2017; 145 in 2016; 118 in 2015.

“In the current year till date there have been 5 incidents where drivers stopped the trains to give passage to elephants crossing railway tracks” claimed Sharma.

Other than this the NF Railways, specially the Alipurduar Division has adopted several measures to prevent elephant-train collision. “Trains have been ordered not to over speed and speed has been cut down specially at night, when visibility is low and animal movement is high. Laser Speed radar Guns have been installed to detect cases of speeding in elephant zones” stated the CPRO.

Buzzers which emit sounds of honey bee sound (a major deterrent for pachyderms) have been installed on level crossing gates of vulnerable locations.

“Pantry car staff and passengers are being sensitized so as not to throw edibles out of the train. The food lures the animals to the tracks and accidents occur” stated Sharma.

Signage Boards have been put up at all identified elephant corridors to pre-warn driver at locations earmarked by Forest Department of the Government  of West Bengal.

Vegetation on both sides of railway track are being cleared on a regular basis to improve visibility of drivers.

For quick exchange of information 25 watt VHF set with frequency of Forest Department has been provided at Rajabhatkhawa, Kalchini and Hasimara stations.

Forest department staff who are supposed to get pre-intimations of elephant movement from the field are posted at the train control office at Alipurduar  Junction so that train drivers can be intimated immediately by the nearest Station Master to run the train cautiously owing  to movement of elephant.

Ramps, passage, underpass, overpass and fencings at various vulnerable locations have been constructed  to avoid elephant casualty.

“The measures initiated by railways have been able to reduce the train – elephant collision related incident as well as casualty in the Alipurduar Division to a great extent. In the current year there are no such incidents of elephant death although drivers had to stop train on many occasions by applying emergency brakes” added Sharma.

The all India figures of jumbo deaths are startling. Electrocution is also a major cause of elephant death.

According to the data by the Project Elephant Division of the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India,  as many as 928 elephants have died since 2009 in India.

From  2009 till December 31, 2018, 565 elephants have died due to electrocution; Another 151 elephants died in  train accidents, while 150 were poached and killed; Poisoning too claimed the life of 62 elephants, the Ministry had stated in a written response to an RTI.

Incidentally Project Elephant (PE) was launched by the government in 1992.