https://indianmasterminds.com

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Forest and Railways Come Together to Stop Elephant-Train Collisions

Several of the country’s passenger and freight trains criss-cross through sensitive wildlife habitats As a result, elephant-train collisions have become increasingly frequent in recent years Hence, MoEFCC and Ministry of Railways have joined hands for a collaborative approach to tackle this problem
Indian Masterminds Stories

Just as Indian Railways is one of the largest rail networks in the world, India is also home to the largest number of Asiatic Elephants, accounting for nearly 60% of the jumbo population.

Recognized as economic, energy-efficient, and environment-friendly, the expansion and upgrading of railways is seen as an important measure in supporting the country’s development through large-scale movement of people and goods.

However, railway construction and operation have their ecological effects, too. Several of India’s passenger and freight trains criss-cross through some of the country’s most sensitive wildlife habitats, particularly protected areas and corridors in central and eastern India that are home to critically endangered tigers and elephants, amongst other animals.

And, the sad reality is that elephant-train collisions have become increasingly frequent in recent years, causing harm to both elephant and human lives. Hence, the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MoEFCC) and the Ministry of Railways (MoR) have joined hands for a collaborative approach to tackle this problem.

JOINT ACTION PLAN

As the first step, 1800 km of stretch was identified as sensitive for collisions of trains with elephants.

Speaking to Indian Masterminds, Secretary, MoEFCC, Ms. Leena Nandan, IAS, said, “Our Ministry, in collaboration with Ministry of Railways, state forest departments and WII, is consistently working on identifying the sensitive railway stretches so that both innovative mitigation measures coupled with technological intervention, such as Intrusion Detection System (IDS) tried in North Frontier Railways, can be applied for avoiding train collisions with elephants. For this, a portal at WII has also been started to keep a tab on progress of the works.”

These measures have already started showing positive signs as there have been instances of elephants using ramps, underpasses and overpasses built specially for them, and railway staff stopping trains to allow herds to pass.

Secy MoEFCC, Leena Nandan, IAS (left); Pr. Executive Director, Gati Shakti, Railway Board, Anil Kumar Khandelwal, IRSE, (right)

DEATH ON RAILWAY TRACKS

Indian Railways is considered the main artery of inland transportation, and to cater to the country’s fast-growing economy, it has envisaged several expansion and upgradation projects, including Vision 2024 to achieve targets of 2024 MT freight loading by the year 2024, and electrification of the entire network in 2023.

However, railway construction and operation cause a range of impacts on wildlife and habitats. In the last 10 years, 186 elephants were killed on railway tracks between 2009-2010 and 2011-2021. Among states, Assam had the highest number of elephant deaths due to train hits with 62 deaths, followed by West Bengal at 57 and Odisha at 27.

When contacted by Indian Masterminds, Principal Executive Director, Gati Shakti, Railway Board, Mr. Anil Kumar Khandelwal, IRSE, said, “MoR has planned site-specific mitigation measures to save our wildlife, especially our elephant friends. Already, Intrusion Detection System (IDS) for protection of wildlife is being provided at all jointly identified locations of wildlife movements.”

EVEN 1 DEATH DISRUPTS HERD DYNAMICS

Over the past five years, India has lost 494 elephants to train accidents, electrocution, poaching, and poisoning. And train accidents accounted for 80 of these deaths.

While 494 deaths over five years appears to be a fraction of the country’s estimated population of nearly 30,000 wild elephants, such deaths could disrupt herd dynamics and further enhance the risk of human-elephant conflicts.

Emphasizing the need for minimizing the adverse effects of railways on local fauna, Director of Wildlife Institute of India (WWI), Mr. Virendra Tiwari, IFS, told Indian Masterminds, “It is crucial to adopt measures that make railway tracks more animal-friendly. By incorporating mitigation strategies, we can create railway tracks that coexist harmoniously with the natural environment, reducing the negative impact on wildlife while maintaining efficient transportation systems. WII is working in close coordination with MoR and MoEFCC to develop strategies for wildlife friendly railways across all sensitive wildlife habitats in India”.

Director WWI, Virendra Tiwari, IFS, (left); IG Forests & Director PT& E, Ramesh Pandey, IFS (right)

SENSITIVE SPOTS IDENTIFIED

The loss of a single older elephant in a herd is loss of experience for the others in the herd. The older members in the herds guide the younger ones. In their absence, the younger ones could stray into human-dominated landscapes, increasing human-elephant conflict.

Hence, to avoid such tragic deaths, MoEFCC and MoR have come together to work on a joint plan.

Giving details of this move, Inspector General of Forest and Director of Project Tiger & Elephant, Mr. Ramesh Pandey, told Indian Masterminds: “Two minister-level meetings in this regard were organised. And, 1800 km of stretches were identified as sensitive by Project Elephant and WII. Out of that, 110 sensitive spots were identified, where joint surveys are being conducted by Railways and state forest departments for taking mitigation measures and doing retrofitting. Moreover, Railways is also in the process of taking IDS to other parts of the country, as it has shown encouraging results in North Frontier Railway in West Bengal and Assam.”

Monitoring Portal in WII

PORTAL LAUNCHED

At the same time, a portal was launched for monitoring implementation of mitigation measures across the sensitive zones. This portal will help in minimising wildlife mortalities and reduce barrier effects across railway tracks passing through the sensitive habitats.

Mr. Pandey said, “The portal was made in WII and was inaugurated by Hon’ble Minister Bhupender Yadav. Besides this, Railways have also been working on making over-pass in the Deepor Beel area of Assam, like the Pench-Kanha corridors. Work on mitigation measures and underpasses in Haridwar-Dehradun and Ettimadai-Walayar sections are already underway. WII, along with Railways, is also working on use of technologies for preventing human-elephant conflicts and train collisions. The latest elephant corridors report will further help in developing linear infrastructures with appropriate mitigation measures.”

Capacity Building Workshop

CAPACITY BUILDING FOR RAIL OFFICIALS

It was also felt by both the departments that to reduce the impact of railways on wildlife, it is important to build the capacity of the railway sector by sensitizing railway officials towards India’s rich biodiversity and the various mitigation options available to avoid human-wildlife conflicts and accidents.

Hence, the Project Elephant Division of MoEF&CC and Elephant Cell, and WII organized a 3-day capacity-building workshop on ‘Minimizing Elephant Mortalities on Railway Tracks’ for officials of Indian Railways.

As the chief guest, Mr. S.P. Yadav, ADG Project Tiger & Elephant and Member Secretary NTCA, emphasized the importance of striking a balance between conservation and development for the country’s sustainable growth. He also highlighted how it has been challenging to give straightforward and clear recommendations for mitigating railway-wildlife accidents until now, due to the lack of capacity building for the railway sector.

Forty one officials from various railway departments and training institutes participated in this capacity-building workshop.

An underpass for elephants built by Southern Railways on Ettimadai-Walayar section in Tamil Nadu

Indian Masterminds Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Related Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
NEWS
Railtel
Results: RailTel to Announce Q2 Financial Results on October 29, Proposes Interim Dividend with November 4 Record Date
GRSE Garden Reach
Results: GRSE to Review Q2 Results on November 4, Eyes Interim Dividend with Record Date on November 11
South Eastern Coalfields Limited SECL
SECL’s 12 Coal Mining Projects Delay Due to Green Clearances and Land Issues Amid Rising Demand
DPIIT Primus Partners MoU startup ecosystem
From Idea to Impact: DPIIT’s New Initiative Fuels Startup Growth in India
BEL Bharat Electronics Limited
BEL Secures Rs 633 Crore Order from Cochin Shipyard to Supply Advanced Defence Electronics Boosting India’s Maritime Security
thdc_india_contributes_
THDC India Donates Rs 1 Crore to Uttarakhand Chief Minister’s Relief Fund, Showcasing Commitment to Social Welfare
IFCI-Ltd
IFCI Limited Receives ROC Approval for Three-Month AGM Extension; Meeting Rescheduled to October 29, 2025
GAIL PSU
GAIL Launches Free CNG Scheme in East Singhbhum to Boost Clean Transportation and Green Mobility
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
WhatsApp Image 2025-10-19 at 12.23
UPSC Journey Should Be Enjoyable, Not Cumbersome
WhatsApp Image 2025-10-16 at 15.16
The Many Facets of Former IRS Officer and Author, Giselle Mehta | Video Interview
IDES Saquib Alam
Beyond IAS and IPS: The Inspiring Work of an IDES officer | Video Interview 
ADVERTISEMENT
UPSC Stories
IAS Rupal Rana UPSC
How Rupal Rana Cracked UPSC CSE 2023 with AIR 26 After Four Attempts
UPSC Topper Rupal Rana secured AIR 26 in 2023 after four attempts. Learn her preparation strategy, booklist,...
Ankita Parashar RAS 2023
4 Attempts, 1 Dream, 0 Excuses: Meet RAS Topper Ankita Parashar, Who Fulfilled a Daughter’s Promise & Secured Rank 2 | Exclusive Interview
Ankita Parashar, a teacher-turned-officer from Pushkar, fulfilled her late father’s dream by securing...
Kushal Chaudhary RAS
From Lab Assistant’s Grit to Rajasthan Topper: How Kushal Chaudhary Topped RAS 2023 with Self-Study | Preparation, Strategy & Interview
Kushal Chaudhary, a farmer’s son and lab assistant from Ajmer, topped RAS 2023 through self-study, overcoming...
Social Media
IFS Parveen Kaswan
Heartbreak by the River: 15-Day-Old Elephant Calf Rejected by Mother, Rescued by IFS Parveen Kaswan and His Team
Jaldapra, West Bengal: In a moving incident that tugs at the heart, a 15-day-old elephant calf was rescued...
Ashwini Bhide IAS and Anand Mahindra
Who Is IAS Ashwini Bhide, Hailed as a Role Model for Mumbai Metro Transformation by Anand Mahindra?
From heritage to high-tech: Bhide’s leadership in Metro Line 3 earns public praise and admiration
World Rhino Day India
On World Rhino Day, IFS Officer Parveen Kaswan Shares Rare Insights - India Now Hosts 80% of the World’s One-Horned Rhinos
September 22 Marks Global Call for Rhino Conservation; India Holds 80% of World’s Greater One-Horned...
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Latest
Railtel
Results: RailTel to Announce Q2 Financial Results on October 29, Proposes Interim Dividend with November 4 Record Date
GRSE Garden Reach
Results: GRSE to Review Q2 Results on November 4, Eyes Interim Dividend with Record Date on November 11
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
WhatsApp Image 2025-10-19 at 12.23
WhatsApp Image 2025-10-16 at 15.16
IDES Saquib Alam
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT