Wildlife Institute of India (WII), Dehradun raised concern over the Indian Railways’ role in wildlife casualities in Maharashtra as it advised the behemoth to construct wildlife underpasses, level crossings with ramps, fencing of railway line, etc. to mitigate wildlife deaths in train accidents in a report. WII, in its report, ‘Elephant and Other Wild Animal Train Collisions on Vulnerable Railway Stretches in India’, suggested measures to mitigate wildlife deaths in nine priority railway segments passing through tiger habitats and intersecting tiger corridors of Maharashtra.

 

The State of Maharashtra holds about 30% (444) of the central Indian tiger population within and outside its six tiger reserves, national parks and wildlife sanctuaries. Notably, a large proportion of tigers and other wildlife exist outside this network of protected areas. The State also has a rich network of corridors connecting different tiger habitats, that comprise of a variety of land uses. WII conducted extensive survey in eight railway segments -- Nagpur-Katol, Nagpur-Butibori-Wardha, Dewhadi-Gobarwahi, Dewhadi-Gondia, Gondia-Wadsa, Wadsa-Nagbhid-Mul, Mul-Chandrapur, and Chandrapur-Rajura-Kagaznagar -- which cross through five tiger reserves, protected forests, sanctuaries and wildlife corridors.

 

WII observed that Wadsa-Brahmapuri-Nagbhid and Nagbhid-Mul railway segments were the worst affected by wildlife deaths due to collision with trains in recent time. The railway line from Wadsa westward to Nagbhid, and further southwards to Mul cuts through the vital tiger corridor connecting Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR) and Ghodazari Wildlife Sanctuary with Navegaon-Nagzira Tiger Reserve (NNTR). It also goes through Brahmapuri Forest Division. As per WII’s observation, regular wildlife movement was reported from the railway stretch in the Brahmapuri and Nagbhid section, and between Talodhi Road and Alewahi stations, with multiple mortality incidents. The single line on the Brahmapuri to Nagbhid section, passes through prime tiger habitats. Whereas, both segments witnessed wildlife mortality like tiger, leopard, sambar, gaur, chital, etc.

 

WII recommended a series of level crossings in the forest patches between Talodhi road and Alewahi railway stations, Alewahi and Sindewahi railway stations and Sindewahi and Rajuli stations with a gap of 30 metres. It also advised speed restriction of 40 kmph for trains from evening 5 pm to morning 7 am. Recommendations were also made for single-track from Mul to Chandrapur, which cuts through wildlife habitat and tiger corridor emanating from TATR towards Kanhargaon and Chaprala Wildlife Sanctuary, connecting it to other tiger habitats.