Fifteen elephants were killed on railway tracks on an average each year between 2014 and 2022, and in total at least 135 jumbos have died, ministry data analysed by News18 shows.
Among all eight zones listed by the Railway Ministry, the Northeast Frontier, having headquarters in Guwahati, is accountable for the highest number of elephant deaths – 65 deaths in the nine-year period. It was followed by the South Eastern zone that reported 21 deaths between 2014 and 2022.
The regions where elephant deaths were reported are: East Coast (nine); Northern (11); North Eastern (seven); South Western (five); Northeast Frontier (65); South East Central (one); Southern (16); and South Eastern (21).
Analysing the year-wise data shows that five elephant deaths were reported on railway tracks in 2014, which increased to 26 in 2018. In 2022, 14 elephants were killed on tracks, one per month on an average.
In a report presented in December 2021, the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) had said that between 2016 and 2019, train accidents were the second most common cause for unnatural deaths of elephants.
According to the last count in 2017, there were 29,964 elephants in India. The total number of captive elephants owned by private individuals and religious institutions was 1,774. The highest number of elephants are in the southern region (14,612), followed by the northeast that houses 10,319 elephants. East central region of the country has 3,128 elephants, while the north west region has 2,085 jumbos.
Speaking to News18, a Railway Ministry official said that in cases of death of elephants or any other animals on railway tracks, the zonal railways investigates the incident and conducts an inquiry wherever necessary. Based on the findings, a number of preventive measures are taken.
“Among the steps taken were provision of fencing at isolated locations and installation of innovative honey bee sound systems at locations that are prone to crossing of elephants. We coordinate with the Ministry of Environment and Forest for preventive steps,” the ministry official said on condition of anonymity.
Other steps taken include imposition of speed restrictions in identified locations, provision of signage boards to warn loco pilots about identified elephant corridors, sensitisation of train crew and station masters on a regular basis, need-based clearance of vegetation on the sides of the track within railway land and construction of underpasses and ramps for movement of elephants at identified locations.
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