Rats! They are at it once more on the tracks

Ludhiana: To deal with the menace of rodents at Ludhiana railway station causing damage to its infrastructure, the railways will soon take the help of Punjab Agriculture University (PAU) again. The railways will prepare a strong chemical-based solution on the advice of PAU to effectively counter the attack of rodents on a regular basis.
Earlier also, the railways had taken the help of Punjab Agriculture University (PAU) scientists to overcome the problems concerning rodents, but could not execute it professionally. Therefore, within a short time, once again rodents have infested different platforms of the city station, and already started damaging railway infrastructure. Now, railways have appealed to PAU scientists to give them a concrete solution to the problem, by preparing a chemical solution stronger than the earlier one.

Railways have told their health department officials to begin the task of preparing the solution, and soon they will begin a week-long drive to counter the attacks of rodents on railway infrastructure. Ludhiana railway station director Abhinav Singla said: “Railways will soon prepare a chemical solution stronger than the earlier one by taking the help of PAU scientists.”

He added: “The formula which railways is going to prepare will be made of grain, sugar powder, zinc sulphide, sodium, and expired food items, which can generate a smell to attract rodents. After mixing all the substances, railway officials would place them in rodent-prone areas of the station.”

Sources from PAU’s zoology department have said they are helping the railways tackle the menace of rodents by giving them the formula for preparing a stronger solution than the earlier one. Meanwhile, sources at the Ludhiana railway station claimed that due to lack of coordination among different cleanliness departments, rodents have again appeared in the station, mostly on platform numbers 1, 2, and 3, which are most commonly used by local passengers, as almost all long-route trains arrive and depart from those platforms.

At present, several holes have appeared under the railway tracks, weakening them. This can cause a major mishap, as several trains pass through the station. Last year also, railways had taken the help of PAU, but due to lack of regular cleaning on the tracks, rats find sufficient food to sustain themselves for a long time, and breed recklessly,” said sources.