in Siliguri area Capital The tragic death of seven elephants due to the collision with the express and the subsequent loss of life of the injured baby elephant has left both the Railways and the Forest Department deeply concerned.
Taking a lesson from this horrific Elephant Train Accident, the monitoring of railway tracks passing through forest areas has been increased manifold. After the incident, the total number of dead elephants has reached eight, which has raised serious questions about wildlife safety.
Immediately after the accident, the forest department of Jaldapara wildlife area under Jalpaiguri district swung into action. Due to reduced visibility in foggy season, the possibility of elephants coming on the railway track increases. Keeping this in mind, special patrolling has been started in the forest areas adjacent to the railway line. Forest personnel are keeping vigil around the track day and night so that any potential danger can be identified in time.
On the day of the accident, patrolling forest personnel conducted a thorough inspection of the major elephant traffic corridor connected to the railway line. There is regular movement of elephants in these areas and these areas are considered most sensitive in terms of accidents. During the inspection, points were also identified where additional vigilance and technical measures are required. The Forest Department is trying to further strengthen the coordination between the Railways and the Forest Administration.
Jaldapara Forest Department DFO Praveen Kaswan told the media that to get advance information about the movements of elephants, a plan has been prepared to install cameras in the major elephant corridor along the railway track.
Through these cameras, real-time input about the presence of elephants will be available, so that timely alert can be issued during train operation. This will make it easier to alert train drivers and the chances of accidents are expected to reduce significantly.
Both Railways and Forest Department believe that such incidents can be prevented only through joint efforts of technology and human monitoring. The Rajdhani Express accident has made it clear that striking a balance between the safety of high-speed trains and the safety of wildlife can no longer be avoided. Indications have also been given that the monitoring system will be further tightened in the coming days.
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