India loses 186 elephants to Railways in 10 years

According to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), Government of India, a total of 186 elephants were killed after being hit by trains across India between 2009-10 and 2020-21.

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Assam accounted for the highest number of elephant casualties on railway tracks (62), followed by West Bengal (57), and Odisha (27). Uttar Pradesh saw just one death.

A Permanent Coordination Committee was constituted between the Ministry of Railways (Railway Board) and the MoEFCC for preventing elephant deaths in train accidents.

Clearing of vegetation along railway tracks to enable clear view for loco pilots, setting up underpass/overpass for safe passage of elephants, regulation of train speed from sunset to sunrise in vulnerable stretches, and regular patrolling of vulnerable stretches of railway tracks are among other initiatives the Ministry has undertaken.

The MoEFCC released ₹212.49 crore to elephant range States under Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS) of Project Elephant to protect elephants, their habitat and corridors, to address man-elephant conflicts, and for the welfare of captive elephants, between 2011-12 and 2020-21.