40 elephants killed between 2014-17 on rail tracks: Govt

New Delhi, July 19

Forty elephants have been killed on railway tracks between 2014 and July 2017, the government informed Lok Sabha on Wednesday.

Minister of State for Railways Rajen Gohain, in a written reply to a question asked by MP Ramcharan Bohara, said the ministry had taken a number of measures in coordination with the Ministry of Environment and Forest to avoid such deaths.

Imposition of speed restrictions in identified locations, provision of sign boards, sensitisation of rail staff, clearance of vegetation on sides of the tracks within railway land, construction of underpasses and ramps for the movement of elephants at identified locations and fencing were some of the measures being used to control deaths of wild animals on rail tracks, the minister said.

“Elephant corridors have been identified by the Indian Railways in coordination with Ministry of Environment and Forest. Speed restrictions on vulnerable sections, signage boards to pre-warn train drivers and whistle continuously to warn the elephants have also been provided wherever required,” Gohain said.

“35 elephants have been killed on railway tracks during last three years i.e. during 2014 to 2016 and five elephants have been killed during the current year up to July 2017,” the minister said. — PTI