Dimapur, July 9 (EMN): A unique strategy adopted by the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) to keep wild elephants away from train tracks has won the best innovation award.
Informing this in a press release, NFR Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) Pranav Jyoti Sharma said the prize awarded by the Indian Railways comprised a citation and a cash award of INR 3 lakh, he said.
With a large portion of rail tracks passing through forest areas in Assam, elephants would often come in the way of speeding trains, resulting in their deaths, he said.
The NFR, in a bid to tackle the problem, came up with ‘Plan Bee’ with Rangiya division field officers in consultation with Forest department counter parts and installed devices at several level crossings in the state to play the sound of buzzing honey bees to drive away the pachyderms, an updated stated.
“The then divisional railway manager Ravilesh Kumar took the lead to form a team and carried out the first testing of honey bee buzz on a pet elephant at Rangapara. When the second testing was conducted in Phulbari Tea Estate under Rangiya division, it was found that the wild elephant starting moving away once the sound was generated” Sharma said.
Following the successful trial, Sharma said that the equipment was designed to generate amplified sound of honey bee audible from a distance of about 700-800 meters.
The first instrument was installed at level crossing gate NN-274 between Azara and Kamakhya station under Rangiya division. Finding the results very encouraging the instrument was installed in many level crossing gates in the zone located in the vicinity of forest areas. Presently 46 such equipments have been installed all over NFR, he informed.
Following two successful trials, Sharma said equipment was designed to generate amplified sound of honey bees from a distance of about 700-800 m, with the first instrument installed at level crossing gate between Azara and Kamakhya stations under Rangiya division.
“Although there are as many as 29 earmarked wildlife corridors, where trains slow down and drivers restrict speed as a norm, elephants have often ventured into train tracks beyond the corridors,” he said.
“From 2013 to June 2019, a total of 67 elephants have been knocked down by trains,” Sharma said.
The NFR has been able to save as many as 1014 elephants since 2014 till June 2019, which itself is a commendable achievement, he said.
“The gateman posted at the level crossing gates, where the device has been installed, claimed that the strategy has been helpful in diverting herds of elephants, especially when trains are approaching,” he said.
