Coimbatore: A Magna elephant escaped being hit by a train near Madhukarai, Coimbatore. The forest department said that the work of purchasing and fitting a ‘speed gun’ will be completed soon to check whether the trains are running at the permitted speed.
On the Coimbatore – Palakkad route, there are two train lines ‘A’ and ‘B’ between Kanjikodu and Etimadai. The ‘A’ line is outside the dense forest and the ‘B’ line is inside the dense forest. Incidents of trains colliding with elephants on these railway lines are a frequent story.
Three elephants, including a pregnant elephant, died on November 26, 2021 after being hit by a train in Navakarai area of Coimbatore. Subsequently, many people insisted that the railway and forest departments should take appropriate measures to prevent the death of elephants on the Madhukarai-Valayaru route.
In this case, the Magna elephant, which had recently come out of the Pollachi Thapsilip forest area and came to Coimbatore, tried to cross the railway line near Madhukarai, but the forest department fired firecrackers to drive it away and escaped by crossing the railway tracks.
Otherwise, the train would have hit the elephant and there would have been an accident. Videos related to this have gone viral on social media. Since it is an area where elephants cross, the speed of trains on the A and B lines between Bothanur and Palakkad has been fixed at 45 kmph during the night and 65 kmph during the day.
But the doubt remains whether the trains are running according to this specific speed. Foresters also complain that some trains are running beyond the permissible speed.
In this regard, the forest department officials said: The forest department is currently unable to know how fast the trains are moving. Therefore, it is planned to install a ‘speed gun’ near the two railway tracks A and B to find out whether the trains are running within the permissible speed in that area.
In this, the speed of trains will be recorded. The tender procedures for its purchase are yet to be completed. We have requested a re-tender. It is under consideration. These works will be completed soon. As the High Court has also ordered regarding the speed of the trains, the railway side is also handling it carefully. Thus they said.