New Delhi: A total of 81 elephant deaths due to train collisions were reported by various Indian states between 2019-20 and 2023-24, according to data shared by State Governments and Union Territory Administrations. The alarming number has prompted the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), in coordination with the Ministry of Railways, to intensify efforts aimed at preventing further such incidents.
Multi-Agency Coordination to Protect Elephants
The government has initiated several proactive measures, including regular inter-ministerial meetings, to address the issue of elephant mortality on railway tracks. Key interventions include imposing speed restrictions in identified elephant habitats, pilot projects using seismic sensor-based elephant detection systems, and infrastructural solutions such as the construction of underpasses, ramps, and fencing at vulnerable railway locations.
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Scientific Approach and Capacity Building
In a bid to ensure eco-sensitive development of infrastructure, the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), Dehradun, collaborated with MoEFCC and other stakeholders to publish the document ‘Eco-friendly Measures to Mitigate Impacts of Linear Infrastructure’. This guide assists project agencies in designing railway lines and other linear infrastructures to minimize human-animal conflicts.
Further, capacity-building workshops have been conducted at WII in 2023 and 2024, specifically aimed at sensitizing railway officials about elephant conservation and protection, equipping them with knowledge to help mitigate collisions.
Identification and Prioritization of Vulnerable Railway Stretches
A comprehensive field survey covering 127 railway stretches over 3,452.4 km has been undertaken to identify high-risk zones for wildlife collisions. Based on the intensity of elephant and wildlife movement, 77 railway stretches totaling 1,965.2 km across 14 states have been prioritized for targeted mitigation efforts.
The detailed report titled “Suggested Measures to Mitigate Elephant & Other Wildlife Train Collisions on Vulnerable Railway Stretches in India” outlines site-specific interventions and has been shared with both State Governments and the Ministry of Railways to implement necessary safeguards.
Government’s Commitment to Wildlife Protection
Union Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Shri Kirti Vardhan Singh, provided this information in a written reply to a Lok Sabha question, reaffirming the government’s ongoing commitment to balancing infrastructure development with wildlife conservation.
