63,000 animals, including 4 Asiatic lions and 73 elephants, died on rail tracks: CAG

New Delhi: Over 63,000 animals, including four Asiatic lions and 73 elephants, died on railway tracks between 2017-18 to 2020-21, the CAG has cited, raising concern over steps taken by the Union environment ministry as well as the railways in preventing such episodes. In its report 'Performance Audit on Derailment in Indian Railways' submitted to Parliament last month, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) noted that the railways should ensure that "joint advisories" issued by the Ministry of Environment & Forest and the Ministry of Railways be followed scrupulously to prevent animal deaths, which in turn will also help in preventing derailments on this account.

In these three years, the CAG found that 63,345 animals, including 73 elephants and four lions, had died after being run over.

The CAG said that to prevent train accidents involving elephants, general advisories approved by both the ministries had been jointly issued to the railways in 2010.

The advisories include clearance of vegetation on sides of railway tack, under passes/overpasses across railway track to allow elephants to escape, signage boards to pre-warn train drivers, sensitising programmes for train drivers, guards and station masters, engagement of elephant trackers, and to keep railway track free from food waste that attract elephants.

Joint inspections conducted in 102 sections across 18 divisions on nine ZRs (zonal railways) by officials of Audit Department and Engineering Department of ZRs show that there is a 76 per cent shortfall in construction of underpasses and ramps for the movement of elephants at identified locations, 41 per cent shortfall in fencing at isolated locations and 64 per cent shortfall in deployment of forest department staff in railway control offices.

"It can be seen that the important precautionary measures related to provision of signage boards, construction of underpasses, provision of fencing and deputation of forest staff in divisional offices had not been implemented in many sections, even after a lapse of more than 10 years period from the issue of Joint General Advisories by Ministry of Environment & Forests, and MoR," the report said.

With special reference to Asiatic lions, the report said that even these are not safe in the Gir Forest despite the existence of passages in the Bhavnagar Division.

"It was observed that there were two accidents involving run over of four lions.

"During the joint inspections conducted by Audit with the Railway Engineers, sufficient signages, fencing and watch towers were not provided at vulnerable locations. This implies that action towards safety of Asiatic lions was lacking on the part of railway administration," it said.