Bid to minimise wildlife deaths on railway tracks

CHENNAI: The Standing Committee of National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) has shown interest in Indian Railways Tri-Netra technology to minimise deaths of wild animals due to accidents. Railways is currently conducting extensive trials of Tri-Netra technology which stands for Terrain Imaging for Drivers Infrared, Enhanced, Optical & Radar Assisted system. It comprises Infrared Camera, Optical Camera and Radar assisted imaging system which acts as the three eyes (Tri-Netra) of the Locomotive Pilot.

In the recently held NBWL meeting, Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar, expressed concern over the death of wild animals on railway tracks. He suggested that research should be conducted to suggest measures to minimise such deaths. In response, HS Singh, NBWL member, stated that Tri-Netra was being developed and is under trial.

Tri-Netra tech can be a game changer considering the fact that as many as eight elephants were killed after being hit by trains on the two railway lines, A and B, between Kanjikode and Madukkarai alone from 2016 to 2021, according to information obtained through RTI by R Pandiyaraja of Tenkasi district. The Railways has also taken other measures to prevent such collisions, the RTI response stated.

Meanwhile, Singh also mentioned that denotification or rationalisation of boundaries of Protected Areas should be done for conservation of wildlife and consolidation of boundaries should not be done without field investigation of a committee headed by the member of the NBWL. This could put a question mark on the proposed denotification of Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary. Detailing measures taken to prevent collisions with tuskers, the railways stated that it had raised awareness among loco pilots to operate trains at 45 kmph within forest areas.