Elephant Spotted on Railway Track: On Friday night (October 23), a wild elephant running across the railway track at West Champaran district of Bihar blocked the movement of the trains for almost two hours. Six special trains including the Vande Bharat Express and Amrit Bharat Express were known to have been affected after railway officials suspended the movement of trains on the Valmikinagar-Paniyahwa track.
The above-mentioned breakdown is reported to have caused disturbance for passengers who were on the train. It was affected by this breakdown from 8:54 pm up until 10:45 pm. The situation also put the spotlights on the importance of maintaining railway safety along forests.
Where Did the Incident Take Place?
The accident happened between the Valmikinagar and Paniyahwa railway stations, near the Valmiki Tiger Reserve, West Champaran.
Per the report, the gatekeeper at crossing number 62 saw the elephant and was able to quickly inform the railway control room, alerting nearby officials to halt train movement.
The outage was reported to have lasted 1 hour and 51 minutes, from 8:54pm to 10:45pm.
Elephant Spotted on Railway Track: Vande Bharat, Amrit Bharat Among Six Trains Impacted
The sudden blockade left six high-speed trains in a tight spot, including the Vande Bharat Express and Amrit Bharat Express. The trains are believed to have been held at various stations until the path was clear.
The morning diary delayed passengers travelling in the night, but the reported delay was a precaution by the operator to prevent a collision with the animal.
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Was the Elephant From Valmiki Tiger Reserve?
A local enquiry informed that the elephant might have been the female elephant, Manikanta belonging to the Valmiki Tiger Reserve. The same was not verified in the initial report and should be considered as a reference only.
At the centre of these types of situations is the issue that train operations should not be restarted until the animal has been cleared. A collision with a train and a large animal can be a dangerous situation for wildlife and passengers.
What Is Indian Railways Doing to Prevent Elephant Accidents?
It happens as Indian Railways is trying to curb elephant-train strikes on its wildlife corridors. According to the Ministry of Railways, several preventive measures are being implemented, including:
- AI-enabled intrusion detection systems: Acoustic sensors using fibre-optic technology identify the presence of elephants close to train tracks and notify railway staff.
- Wildlife underpasses and ramps: Tese enable elephants to cross railway corridors more safely.
- Trackside fencing and signage: Installed along the routes to discourage unintentional access to the tracks. It brings attention of train drivers the areas they may be approaching.
- Signals and communication with forest officials: Signals and communication with forest officials.
- Honey Bee buzzer devices: These systems use amplified honeybee sounds to discourage elephants from approaching railway lines.
A report filed by the government in March 2025, said an artificial intelligence enabled intrusion detection system was in use in 141 route kilometres of sensitive areas on Northeast Frontier Railway. Work for installation was approved in 1,158 route kilometres in several railway zones.
