On Sunday, three Madras High Court judges inspected the rail stretch between Ettimadai and Walayar. Justices N Satish Kumar, R Subramanian, and G K Ilanthiraiyan used a locomotive from Podanur Railway Station to head to Navakkarai (In Kerala – Tamil Nadu border) for examining tracks A and B.
A stretch of 1.5 to 2.5 km on these railway lines in Navakkarai passes through the Reserve Forest Area, and they have viciously claimed the lives of many elephants over the years. Recently, three elephants were gruesomely maimed to death by a speeding train in November.
The judges inspected the measures taken by the Railway Divison and Forest Department to prevent elephant deaths on these tracks, like bush clearances, solar lamps, and a honeybee alarm system installed to scare elephants away. They also checked proposed sites for watchtowers and planned ramps on tracks across elephant crossing points.
Later Justice Kumar met and spoke to R Raghuraman, the Additional Divisional Railway Manager of the Palakkad Division at the Walayar Station. The Judge said, “There are only 30,000 elephants in the country. But unfortunately, more than 100 elephants die every year in Tamil Nadu. In the interest of our future generations, let’s make sure that books aren’t the only places to find them. The railway and forest department should rope in experts from other countries to prevent elephant deaths on tracks.”
The idea of reducing the speed of the trains when they cross Walayar and Ettimadai was mooted by the Additional Chief Secretary (Environment, Climate change, and Forests) and the Special Secretary (Forests) Supriya Sahu. However, Raghuraman said any such move would affect the train timetable.
He added, “Trains are operated at a speed limit of 45kmph between 9 pm and 6 am, and 65kmph during the day. Loco pilots will struggle to operate trains if the speed is below 45kmph. Yes, double locomotives could be used. But it will take a minimum of 30 minutes each to attach a double locomotive at Walayar and detach it at Podanur.”
M V Nagarathinam, Additional Principal Cheif Conservator of Forests, noted that 80 trains, including ‘Passenger and Goods trains,’ pass through the stretch every day. He then suggested that goods trains could run on the Podanur-Pollachi-Palakkad route to minimize traffic on Track A in Navakkarai. Replying to him, Raghuraman said that diverting freight traffic via Pollachi is not a practical idea.
He emphasized, “Goods trains are our bread and butter. Foodgrains, fertilizers, and cement reach Kerala from up North. The Thiruvananthapuram Railway Division and Palakkad Divisions are fed by goods trains, which earn us 70% of the revenue. If we divert the trains through the Pollachi route, we have to cover an additional 50 km, which is impossible.”
The judges then raised the proposed idea of constructing elephant-friendly elevated corridors along the reserve forest and over the railway lines. In response, Raghuraman has said that it would cost Rs.12 Crore/km and a long time to construct them, adding, “Moreover, we need the forest department’s permission to build such corridors.” However, Nagarathinam said that his department is ready to grant permission to build the corridor.
Image Source: rediff