MP: Railways start fencing 530km track to prevent cattle accidents
Work covering 74km has been completed at a cost of around Rs28.8 million
In a move aimed at protecting livestock and improving railway safety, the West Central Railway's Bhopal Division is installing fencing along both sides of a 530-km railway stretch between Khandwa and Bina in Madhya Pradesh to prevent cattle from straying onto tracks.
The initiative is intended to address two concerns — the loss of livestock in train collisions, which can affect rural families, and the risk of accidents and disruption to train services, particularly with plans for operating trains at speeds of 130kmph and above.
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Senior Divisional Commercial Manager Saurabh Kataria told IANS in a statement that, out of the proposed total 530km fencing, work covering 74km has been completed at a cost of around Rs28.8 million.
The railway has set a target of completing the entire project by March 2027. The completed work includes 49km on the Khandwa-Itarsi section, 4km on the Itarsi-Bhopal section and 21km on the Bhopal-Bina section.
The division has also constructed four animal overpasses in the Budhni-Barkhera Ghat section to provide cattle with safe crossing routes. Three of these structures have been built on the up line and one on the middle line.
The overpasses are designed to allow animals to cross the railway corridor without entering the tracks, reducing the possibility of collisions with trains.
Cattle straying onto railway lines can result in animal deaths, financial losses for livestock owners and damage to railway property.
Such incidents can also force trains to slow down or disrupt their movement, affecting passenger services.
"The Bhopal Division gives the highest priority to passenger safety and is committed to making railway operations safer through modern technology, improved infrastructure and effective safety measures," Kataria said.
He shared that fencing and animal overpasses would help prevent cattle from entering railway tracks and reduce the possibility of accidents and interruptions to train operations.
The project is being implemented under the guidance of Divisional Railway Manager Pankaj Tyagi. Once completed, the fencing will cover the entire Khandwa-Bina stretch, while the animal overpasses will provide designated crossing facilities in the Budhni-Barkhera Ghat section.
The railway expects these measures to strengthen safety infrastructure, protect livestock and support more reliable train operations along the route.
