COIMBATORE: Even as Tamil Nadu’s forest department and Palakkad division of Southern Railway have been implementing numerous safety measures such as AI-enabled cameras and new underpasses, regular patrolling and swift communication has managed to prevent the deaths of at least 100 wild elephants in the Palakkad - Madukkarai railway section.
Sources said, from April 1 to December 20 this year, loco pilots were able to avoid accidents after receiving timely alerts regarding elephant movement on or near the tracks between Kanjikode and Ettimadai stations.
Of the 100 incidents (a herd is also considered a single elephant by officials), 86 involve elephants attempting to cross railway line B, situated inside Solakkarai reserve forest in Madukkarai forest range. The other 14 incidents involve tuskers approaching railway line A, sources said.
In the financial year 2022-23, of the 128 instances of accidents being averted, 109 incidents took place on railway line B.
A senior railway official said, “Loco pilots follow the 65kmph speed limit from 6 am to 6 pm, and 45kmph from 6 pm to 6 am. Moreover, clearing of vegetation on both sides of the tracks are regularly carried out and sign boards have also been planted.”
Once an elephant is spotted nearby or on the tracks, the keyman who regularly checks the condition of the tracks on foot, informs the control room and the alert is passed on to loco pilots by station masters over walkie-talkies and phones, sources said.
There also have been instances where the forest guard have also passed on alerts to the control room.