In a significant effort for wildlife conservation, the Chakradharpur Division of South Eastern Railway (SER) has established strict speed regulations in forest corridors to protect elephants. This initiative emphasizes the safeguarding of the local elephant population rather than strict adherence to train schedules.
Official data indicates that from April 1 to April 9, 2026, these regulations impacted 328 train services along the Tata-Jharsuguda and Nugaon-Rourkela routes. Locomotives operated at considerably reduced speeds in these sensitive areas, leading to a total delay of 549.09 minutes (over nine hours).
The forested regions along the Jharkhand-Odisha border are crucial migration paths for elephant herds. To reduce the risk of train collisions, the Railways have enhanced collaboration with the Forest Department through several important measures.
This initiative has already shown positive outcomes, with a significant reduction in elephant-train collisions. Environmentalists have praised the action but recommend further technological improvements.