Steps by Indian Railways to reduce Elephant Casualty in North East

New Delhi, November 20, 2019: In addition to freight traffic, Indian Railways is operating 3 pairs of passenger trains service via Bogibeel Bridge. The trend of wild animal movement in the Southern Bank of Brahmaputra, particularly wild elephants, is observed and in consultation with Forest Department and under advice of National Green Tribunal, elephant corridors are notified in Working Time Table and speed restrictions for trains (both passenger and freight) are imposed accordingly. This step has helped bring down the cases of elephant casualty. In addition to above, the following steps have been taken to arrest the skirmish incidents of elephant casualties:-

1. Clearance of vegetation on the side of railway tracks on regular basis.

2. Provision of Signage Boards at all elephant corridors to warn Loco Pilots.

3. Sensitizing programs for Loco Pilots/Assistant Loco Pilots and Guards with the help of forest department.

4. Keeping railway track free from food waste which may attract elephants.

5. Imposition of six permanent speed restrictions on the Kamakhya–Goalpara Town section of Rangiya Division and 14 speed restriction on the Guwahati-Lumding-Furkating section and Dharamanagar-Agartala section of Lumding Division.

6. Imposition of temporary speed restrictions on receipt of information of elephant movement from Forest Department at places apart from the identified elephant corridors. At present, there are six temporary speed restrictions from Jugijan to Lumding.

7. Several number of Honey Bee Sound System are installed at manned level crossing in North East Frontier Railway System, some of which are in the South bank i.e. on the Kamakhya-Goalpara section. This acts as a repellant for elephant to move away from railway tracks.

This information was given by the Minister of Railways and Commerce & Industry, Shri Piyush Goyal in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha today.