Notwithstanding the surprise checks and periodic awareness campaigns, recurring instances of cattle run overs by trains over the Tiruchi Railway Division has remained a cause of concern for the railway administration as such incidents affect the punctuality of trains.
Ten “vulnerable” stretches over Tiruchi Division where cattle run overs on railway tracks kept recurring this year and in the last year have been identified by the Railway Protection Force (RPF) and measures are being taken to curb such incidents.
The Tiruchi Division has under its limits the entire mainline broad gauge section from Villupuram to Thanjavur via Mayiladuthurai and Kumbakonam; entire chord line stretch from Villupuram to Tiruchi Junction via Vriddhachalam and Ariyalur; Thanjavur-Karaikal; Nagapattinam - Velankanni, Cuddalore - Vriddhachalam; Villupuram - Vellore Cantonment; Villupuram - Puducherry; Mayiladuthurai - Tiruvarur via Peralam and Nidamangalam - Mannargudi sections.
Railway Protection Force sources said as many as 199 cattle run over incidents had been reported along various stretches in Tiruchi Division in the current year up to August. In 2023 (from January to December), a total number of 208 cattle run over incidents were reported.
The RPF had identified the 10 “vulnerable” stretches in the Division after analysing the data pertaining to such incidents. The “vulnerable” stretches identified are Solagampatti - Budalur (between Tiruchi and Thanjavur), Solagampatti - Tiruverumbur (between Tiruchi and Thanjavur); Nagore - Karaikal, Nagapattinam - Tiruvarur Junction, Lalgudi - Valadi (between Tiruchi and Ariyalur), Thillaivilagam- Adirampattinam; Talanallur - Ichchangadu, Tiruvarur - Nannilam, Ponmalai - Srirangam and Chinnababu Samudram - Puducherry, said the RPF sources.
Amid recurring instances of cattle run overs, the RPF had been conducting surprise checks at the vulnerable areas periodically besides organising awareness campaigns for cattle owners. The cattle owners residing along the vulnerable stretches and other areas where ever such incidents had been reported were being told about the problems such instances could pose in disrupting rail traffic and affecting punctuality of trains, said the sources.
In addition to these, whistle boards had been installed at vulnerable sections to alert the loco pilots besides providing fencing at the vulnerable areas. Such incidents remain a cause of concern for the railways as it could lead to detention of trains midway thereby affecting their punctuality, the sources added.
Published - September 30, 2024 11:33 pm IST
