Centre identifies 110 rail stretches for wildlife safety, 705 measures planned
The official noted that the recommended mitigation package for these priority stretches includes 503 ramps and level crossings, 72 bridge extensions and modifications
Based on a detailed assessment of 127 railway stretches covering 3,452.4 km, 77 stretches spanning 1,965.2 km across 14 states were prioritised for mitigation
New Delhi, Mar 13: In an effort to address the rising incidence of wildlife mortality on railway tracks, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, in partnership with the Ministry of Railways, has identified 110 railway stretches across elephant ranges and 17 stretches in two tiger-range states that require a total of 705 mitigation measures to ensure the safe passage of animals, an official said on Thursday.
Sharing details at a two-day national workshop on “Policy Implementation for Minimising Elephant Mortalities on Railway Tracks” held at the Wildlife Institute of India in Dehradun, the official noted that the recommended mitigation package for these priority stretches includes 503 ramps and level crossings, 72 bridge extensions and modifications, 39 fencing or trenching structures, four exit ramps, 65 new underpasses and 22 overpasses. Altogether, these measures amount to 705 mitigation structures designed to facilitate safe wildlife passage and reduce collisions with trains.
“Based on a detailed assessment of 127 railway stretches covering 3,452.4 km, 77 stretches spanning 1,965.2 km across 14 states were prioritised for mitigation, considering wildlife movement patterns and the risk of animal mortality,” the official added. Comprehensive joint field surveys were conducted by teams from Project Elephant, the Wildlife Institute of India, state forest departments and Indian Railways. These surveys evaluated site-specific ecological conditions and proposed targeted mitigation measures tailored to each location.
The workshop, held on March 10–11, was organised by the Information Project Elephant Division of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change in collaboration with the Wildlife Institute of India. It brought together around 40 participants, including senior representatives from the ministry’s Project Elephant Division, the Ministry of Railways, forest departments of elephant-range states and leading conservation scientists.
Key railway zones represented included East Central Railway, East Coast Railway, North Eastern Railway, Northeast Frontier Railway, Northern Railway, South Eastern Railway, Southern Railway and South Western Railway.
The workshop featured technical sessions on elephant ecology, infrastructure planning and biodiversity conservation, emphasising the need for coordinated planning where railway lines intersect with wildlife corridors.
“Participants examined state-level data, case studies and key drivers of animal-train collisions, including habitat fragmentation, land-use changes, train speeds, night operations and seasonal elephant movements,” a statement said. “Regional working groups reviewed mitigation efforts across major landscapes—the Shivalik-Gangetic Plains, Central India and Eastern Ghats, North-East India and the Western Ghats—identified gaps and suggested landscape-specific strategies. Best practices shared included early-warning systems, sensor- and AI-based detection technologies, GIS monitoring, and community-based alert and patrolling networks,” it added.
IANS