Guwahati, Nov 10 (IANS) Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) has once again demonstrated its commitment towards wildlife conservation and safe train operations in elephant-prone areas, officials said on Monday.

NFR’s Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) Kapinjal Kishore Sharma said that due to the vigilance and timely action of alert loco pilots and staff, several elephants were recently saved from possible accidents in different sections under the NFR jurisdiction.

He said that Jitendra Kumar, Tower Wagon driver, displayed exceptional alertness and dedication while on duty on October 10.

During his run, Kumar noticed two elephants crossing the railway track between Rajabhatkhawa and Kalchini section of Alipurduar division in North Bengal.

Acting swiftly and responsibly, he applied the brakes and brought the Tower Wagon to a complete halt, thereby preventing a potential elephant-dashing incident, the CPRO said.

He said, in another instance, on October 16, while operating a Special Train, Loco Pilot Satyendra Yadav and Assistant Loco Pilot Sudarshan Hatimuria noticed four elephants crossing the tracks in the Mariani–Titabar section of Tinsukia Division in Assam.

The crew acted promptly by applying the brakes and stopping the train in time, saving the lives of four elephants. Similarly, on October 24, the crew of Dibrugarh–New Delhi Rajdhani Express Lalman, Loco Pilot and Vinit Gupta, Assistant Loco Pilot, observed an elephant on the track between Bokajan–Khotkhoti section of Tinsukia Division in Assam.

They immediately applied emergency brakes and brought the train to a halt, thereby averting a possible mishap and ensuring safety for both wildlife and passengers.

Sharma said that these instances reflect the dedication, vigilance and compassion consistently demonstrated by the running staff of Northeast Frontier Railway.

“With the longest elephant corridors in the Indian Railways network, NFR remains committed to ensuring safe train operations while protecting wildlife. The railway is continuously implementing measures such as Intrusion Detection Systems, construction of underpasses and enhanced patrolling to reduce elephant–train collisions in sensitive areas,” the CPRO said.

The NFR operates in the Northeastern states and in seven districts of West Bengal and five districts of North Bihar.

–IANS

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