COIMBATORE: After a video of an elephant herd negotiating its way through the train tracks at the Hillgrove railway station went viral, Railway officials demolished a portion of the wall parallel to the tracks on Thursday. Activists lauded the officials of the Salem Division of the Southern Railways for the swift action.
Following the incident on Wednesday, many activists urged the railways to construct wildlife-friendly railway stations near forest regions considering the sensitivity of the eco-zone.
Additional Chief Secretary of Environment, Climate Change & Forests Supriya Sahu had also expressed her concern over such walls hindering the wildlife movement on Twitter.
Coonoor Railway Station Director Sathish Saravanan told TNIE, “A total of 20 metres of the wall, parallel to the tracks, at the Hillgrove Railway station will be demolished making way for elephant crossing. On Thursday, about 10 metres of the wall was demolished and the remaining portion will be removed on Friday.”