Rajkot: Drivers on alert for lions on tracks

RAJKOT: The 30km stretch of railway track between Rajula to Pipavav port in Amreli district is considered to be the most vulnerable for wildlife, especially lions which are often found to be crossing the track here.
According to the forest department, nine lions have lost their lives on this stretch since 2014, while in just two years over 100 lions could be saved by the joint efforts of loco pilots and forest trackers.
On an average, guestimates peg a minimum of 10 days every month when lions are found along the tracks on the highly risky stretch challenging the forest and railway department in trying to protect lives of the lions. On Wednesday, a team of officials from the forest department, railway department and GIPL (Guj Info Petro Limited) visited the vulnerable stretch of the railway track to find some technological solution to save lions from accidents.
Since March, the forest department has decided to take several precautionary measures including scaling up efforts to save the lions on the track which sees around 30 trains every day, most of which carry goods to and from port Pipavav.
To enable loco pilots with clearer view of the rail track, the forest department is also clearing dense vegetation alongside the track. On the railway tracks where maximum lion movement has been registered, around 20 night reflector boards have been installed by the forest officials at these vulnerable areas.
“These boards reflect the headlight of the train and also instinctively reminds the loco pilots to keep blowing the horn, as well as remain cautious about possible presence of lion on the track and therefore, reduce train speed to enable sudden application of breaks if necessary,” Jayen Patel, deputy conservator of forest, Shetrunji division of forest’s wildlife circle told TOI.
Patel further said that the precautionary measures on track also include erecting watch towers in this vulnerable area which had earlier been severely damaged during the Tauktae cyclone last year. Three of the 10 damaged towers have been reinstalled.
“GIPL will give us some suggestions on how to develop useful technology while we have apprised them of our idea of a digital fencing. In this fence, we will fix devices in some red zones and if we find movement of lion in these hot spots, our control room will get immediate alert. This information will be disseminated to our field staff who will coordinate with the railway,” Patel added.