There is a proposal to restart the train movement through the Pilibhit Tiger Reserve.

A joint team of officials of the Pilibhit Tiger Reserve (PTR), North Eastern Railway’s construction division and the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) have inspected a 7-km stretch of meter gauge railway track passing through the core area of Mala forest range.

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The purpose was to assess how to protect wildlife if trains are run on this line after broad gauge conversion.

Deputy director of PTR Naveen Khandelwal said train service is currently suspended on this stretch.

Two years ago, the railway authorities had applied for permission from the National Board for Wild Life (NBWL) for the conversion of the meter gauge track to broad gauge on Pilibhit-Mailani section.

The NBWL set up a three-member committee comprising deputy director of PTR, senior WII scientist Kaushik Banerjee, and DGM of Rail Vikas Nigam Limited R.L. Saxena.

It has been asked to file a report on the requirements of PTR for the safety and unhindered movement of the wildlife around the railway line within two months.

Khandelwal said that thereafter the process of issuing a ‘no objection certificate’ to NER for gauge conversion will begin.

“For facilitating the team to assess the need for underpasses for the wildlife and other safe options, we installed 15 camera traps along the railway line to monitor the frequency of wildlife movement, especially of tigers, sloth bears and leopards. This will give us a precise indication about the required safety measures,” said Khandelwal.

Tiger expert Banerjee who reviewed the threats to tigers by the broad-gauge trains, has advised NER to maintain a speed limit of 20 km per hour while passing through the core area.

“To ensure this, the railway authorities will install the required number of speedometers at the railway track duly equipped with auto sensors. The PTR will secure the authority of monitoring the trains’ speed along with the railway authorities,” said Khandelwal.

The PTR authorities will also require from NER, a written guarantee of maintaining the assigned speed limit and penalties to be imposed in case it is breached, he added.