COIMBATORE: A 10-kilometre-long steel wire fence has been installed along the Coimbatore–Boluvampatti forest boundary, in a long-awaited effort to prevent wild elephants from straying into farmlands and residential areas.
The fence stretches from Vettaikarankovil along the Boluvampatti forest boundary to the Kottaimuthumariyamman Temple in the Attukal tribal settlement.
Five elephant-proof gates have been installed at intervals of two kilometres along the 10-foot-high fence. The gates will remain closed but can be opened when necessary, forest department sources said.
“The locations of the gates were selected based on past elephant movement patterns. If elephants enter farmlands, forest staff will guide them towards one of the gates and open it to allow safe passage. This system ensures both human safety and the welfare of elephants,” said Sanjeev Kumar, founder of Astro Fencing Solution, which is executing the project.
Concerns were raised by farmers after a tusker damaged a section of the fence during installation. Forest officials clarified that the damage occurred while the structure was still under construction and assured that the completed fence is robust and reliable.
The project is estimated to cost `5 crore. It was implemented following directions from the Madras HC, which also permitted forest officials to drive elephants back if they enter agricultural fields or residential areas in search of food and water beyond the fenced stretch.
The project was announced by CM M K Stalin on November 6, 2025. However, work was temporarily halted after a Chennai-based activist filed a writ petition. Subsequently, a special division bench comprising Justices N Sathish Kumar and D Bharatha Chakravarthy, along with an amicus curiae, conducted a field inspection with senior forest department officials and allowed the project to proceed. A provision for monitoring wildlife through cameras was also incorporated.
The fencing company also plans to adapt the same technology, to address wild boar intrusion, which has been causing significant crop damage. The proposed design includes reinforced foundations and net-type barriers to prevent wild boars from entering agricultural lands.