Vigilance & public support prevent train–elephant collision risk at Deepor Beel

AMINGAON, Jan 30: Strict vigilance by forest authorities, close coordination with the Northeast Frontier (NF) Railway, and sustained public cooperation have significantly reduced train–elephant collision incidents in the Deepor Beel area.

Speaking to this correspondent, Pranjit Deka, Forest Range Officer (in-charge) of the Deepor Beel Wildlife Range, said public support has played a crucial role in the department’s success in averting accidents. He added that the cooperation of the NF Railway has been equally vital in ensuring the safe movement of elephants across the railway track.

According to NF Railway officials, around 40 trains – both passenger and freight – operate daily along this stretch. Deka said that during 2025 alone, forest personnel intervened eight times to prevent potential train-elephant collisions. “Trains were stopped eight times to allow safe passage of elephant herds. In total, nearly 100 caution alerts were issued to the Railway authorities during the year,” he said.

Of these interventions, five incidents were averted in the Mikirpara corridor and three near the Watch Tower area. Notably, in December 2025, nine cautions were issued – six from Mikirpara and three from the Watch Tower corridor.

An NF Railway official acknowledged that the decline in accidents is largely due to timely alerts from the Forest Department and increased awareness among local residents. He also pointed out that daytime train movement is heavier than night traffic along the Kamakhya-New Bongaigaon via Goalpara BG-2 section.

Local residents living along the busy surface road flanked by hill forests and the railway track said drivers remain cautious while passing through the stretch. “Whenever a herd is spotted, vehicles are stopped to allow elephants to cross safely,” a local resident said.

Forest Department sources said elephant herds usually descend to the wetland between 6:30 pm and 8:30 pm, and occasionally around midnight. Tracking becomes especially difficult during foggy conditions, when visibility is severely reduced. In such situations, forest personnel rely on information from local residents and, at times, on their experience of detecting elephant movement by scent.

“We can sense the presence of an adult elephant from nearly 20 metres away, but in the case of a calf we need to go much closer,” a forest guard said, adding that even torchlights are often ineffective in dense fog.

Of the five identified elephant corridors – Mikirpara, Belartal, Sabhagarh, Watch Tower and Bhangra Than – herds most frequently access the wetland through Mikirpara, Watch Tower and Belartal.

As a safety measure, train speed is restricted to about 30 kmph along a 4-5 km stretch passing through the Deepor Beel area whenever a caution alert is active. “If we receive information about elephant movement, additional precautions are immediately taken,” an NF Railway official said.

Forest officials also recalled a dramatic rescue in November 2025, when an elephant calf narrowly escaped death after being separated from its herd near Bhangra Than around 12.30 am. Hearing the calf’s cries, local residents alerted the Watch Tower. Forest staff rushed to the spot and coordinated with the loco pilot of an Upper Assam-bound train, which was moving at a reduced speed. The train was halted barely three feet from the calf, saving its life. The calf was reunited with its mother around 2:30 am.

Officials stressed that timely caution alerts are critical and remain active until the herd returns to its forest territory. In one instance, a caution remained in force for 13 days as a calf was born in the wetland, with the herd departing only on the 14th day.

Forest personnel have also urged picnickers to vacate the area by 5 pm, warning that elephant movement can begin earlier than expected. “Human and vehicle rush peaks in the evening, making our task more challenging. Public cooperation is essential to ensure safety for both people and wildlife,” they said.