COIMBATORE: The Palakkad division of Southern Railway has completed construction of the second underpass to facilitate free movement of wild animals in Madukkarai in Coimbatore forest division. Sources in Palakkad division said the construction was completed within two years of a Madras High Court order in this regard and the passage was opened a month ago.
The first underpass was constructed in June 2023 at Km 505 A/400-500 and the second one was constructed at KM 506A/0-100 on the railway line B between Walayar and Ettimadai railway stations. Building underpass is one of the measures jointly taken by the Railways and Tamil Nadu forest department to facilitate safe access for the wild animals, especially elephants as they get hit by speeding trains and die while trying to cross the tracks.
Forest department sources said the second underpass is situated close to the area where elephant movement is frequent and it will be more useful than the first one The two underpasses have been constructed at a cost of Rs 9.8 crore, sources added. “The vertical clearance of the second underpass is six metres and the width of the passage in the subway is 18.3m . This is the first of its kind underpass built exclusively for wild elephants in Southern Railway, said an official of the division
A senior official in the Coimbatore forest division said, “We had fixed camera traps to monitor movement of wild animals in the first underpass. However we realised that the flash emitted by the cameras disturbed elephants. As a result, we removed the cameras. Currently, three herds including two female and two calves are using the first underpass frequently. We have to wait and see the results of the second underpass as no elephant has used it so far.”.