Chakradharpur: In a major step towards wildlife conservation and railway safety, the Chakradharpur Railway Division (CKP) will construct an Elephant Corridor at a cost of ₹132 crore to prevent elephants from straying onto railway tracks. Divisional Railway Manager Tarun Huria shared the details while interacting with mediapersons in Chakradharpur.
The DRM said elephants are part of India’s natural heritage, and their protection is a top priority for the Railways. Work on the project is progressing rapidly, and AI-based surveillance cameras are being installed at identified vulnerable locations to continuously monitor elephant movement.
Signal Theft Incident at Sini
The DRM also spoke about the recent battery and cable theft from the Sini gate signal cabin. He said the incident occurred around 1:30 am on January 9, when miscreants broke into railway installations and stole critical equipment. Taking swift action, the Railway Protection Force (RPF) conducted raids the same night and arrested five accused. Efforts are ongoing to nab the remaining suspects.
He termed signal tampering and theft of railway equipment as serious crimes that could potentially lead to major accidents. Due to the disruption, operations of 22 mail and express trains were affected for nearly six hours.
Widespread Impact on Train Operations
The affected section operates on an automatic signalling system. As a result, disruption at one point impacted train services across multiple stations, including Kandra, Tatanagar, Sini, Danguwaposi and Bandamunda. The DRM revealed that 34 such cases of signal-related theft or tampering have been registered so far in the division.
Elephants, Fog and Chain Pulling Affect Services
Apart from theft incidents, train operations are also being impacted by alarm chain pulling, dense fog, and frequent elephant movement. On Saturday night, a herd of elephants was spotted on the railway track between Bhalulata and Jaraikela on the Howrah–Mumbai main line. Due to prior alerts, railway officials immediately halted train movement, preventing any harm to the animals.
Because of fog and elephant activity, train speeds between Chakradharpur and Jharsuguda are often restricted to 30 kmph or even lower.
Safety Takes Precedence Over Punctuality
The DRM emphasised that while punctual train operations are important, passenger safety and wildlife protection take precedence. Keeping this in mind, certain track-related works in the Chakradharpur division have been temporarily suspended to avoid operational blocks and ensure the safe crossing of elephants across railway tracks.
The ₹132-crore elephant corridor project is expected to significantly reduce train–elephant conflicts and improve both railway safety and wildlife conservation in the region.
