Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Even as the forest department has issued advisory to restrict train speeds, passenger and goods trains continue to pass through the Budhni–Midghat section at higher than the prescribed limit.
The stretch came under spotlight after a tiger was killed by a speeding train on December 10. Earlier too, big cats have lost their lives after being hit by trains in the Midghat and Budhni area which falls close to the Ratapani Tiger Reserve. Tigers frequently cross railway tracks in the area in search of prey.
A senior forest officer from Obaidullaganj said that following the tiger’s death, the forest department had written to the Railways, seeking restriction of train speeds to a maximum of 60 km per hour. However, passenger trains are still running at speeds of up to 75 kmph, while goods trains are moving at around 65 kmph through the stretch, he said.
Meanwhile, a committee formed to investigate the tiger death is expected to submit its report to senior forest officials in a day or two to senior forest officers.
Divisional Railway Manager Pankaj Tyagi told Free Press that trains in the area are running at speeds ranging from 50 kmph to 75 kmph. To check wildlife-related incidents, already 24 underpasses have been constructed in the section and four overpasses are likely to be completed by May-June, Tyagi said. He, however, added that due to the geographical nature of the stretch, the trains maximum speed clocks 75 kmph.
Following the forest department’s advisory, precautionary measures such as removing food waste thrown by passengers and clearing bushes along the railway track are also being undertaken to reduce wildlife movement near the tracks.
