In the Palamu Tiger Reserve (PTR) in Jharkhand, prompt action by two loco pilots save the lives of a dozen elephants, including calves. The Howrah-Jabalpur Shaktipunj Express was travelling toward West Bengal through a PTR forest at a speed of about 70 kph when suddenly the locomotive pilots noticed an elephant herd crossing the tracks between Chipadohar and Hehegara railway stations, according to the railroad officials. The elephant herd in the train’s way were saved by both the pilot's prompt action. The pilots mentioned that the train stopped around 60 metres away from the herd.
"Loco pilot A K Vidyarthi and I swiftly pulled the emergency brake, and the train stopped around 60 metres from the herd," Rajnikant Choubey, assistant loco pilot, told PTI.
"We felt a sense of satisfaction after saving the lives of at least 12 elephants," he added. Choubey said there was no speed limit on the stretch where the incident happened, but the speed limit after the 'caution line', which was 500 metres away, was 25 kmph.
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The existing double-line passes through an 11-km stretch between Chhipadohar and Hehegara in the core area of the reserve, a PTR official said. Spread over a 1,129.93 sq km area, the reserve houses 47 species of mammals and 174 species of birds. There are around 250 elephants in the reserve.
PTR field director Kumar Ashutosh said, "We thank the loco pilots for saving the lives of 12 elephants." He said frequent movement of trains through the dense forest causes a threat to wildlife in the reserve." Several elephants were killed in this section in the past. I would urge other loco pilots to remain cautious like Choubey and Vidyarthi," he added.
