Railways moots more underpasses for wild elephants in Madukkarai forests near

The Palakkad Division of the Southern Railway is planning to construct more than two underpasses for wild elephants on the railway line passing through Solakkarai reserve forest of Madukkarai range.

Officials in the know of the development said underpasses are being planned on both ‘B’ line and ‘A’ line of the twin single line connecting Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Trains plying on Palakkad – Coimbatore direction are generally routed through ‘B’ line and ‘A’ line is used for traffic on the opposite direction.

Two such underpasses constructed by the Railways on ‘B’ line in 2023 and 2024 are being used by wild elephants to cross the track with safety. 

Sources with the Palakkad Division said locations of the proposed additional underpasses will be finalised soon for further procedures.

A total of 28 incidents of wild elephants getting hit by moving trains while crossing railway tracks, mostly resulting in fatality, were reported between Kottekad in Palakkad district and Ettimadai in Coimbatore district from 2002 to 2024. The last death of an elephant reported on the section was on the Kerala side, when a juvenile tusker was knocked down by a train at Vattappara near Walayar on February 4.

Sources said the Palakkad Division has erected fences using old rails on both sides of the vulnerable stretches between Walayar and Ettimadai as physical barriers.

An elephant intrusion detection system (EIDS) installed by the Division for 35 km between Kottekad and Edttimadai at a cost of ₹20 crore is in the testing state now. The EIDS uses optical fibre–based sensing network with artificial intelligence–driven analytical modules to detect the presence of elephants near railway tracks to generate alerts. 

Speed restrictions, maximum of 65 kmph during the day and 45 kmph from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m., are applicable for trains passing through the forest areas of Madukkarai range. The distance required for a train moving at 110 kmph to come to a halt is around 700 metres. A braking distance of about 250 metres is required for a train moving at 65 kmph and around 180 metres when the train speed is 45 kmph, said the sources.