Railways Prioritize Elephant Safety Amid Dense Fog, Commuters Face Disruption
For the fourth consecutive time, the Chakradharpur railway division has taken the significant step of cancelling multiple passenger trains to ensure the safe passage of elephants in its territory. This latest decision, driven by a combination of persistent dense fog and ongoing wildlife concerns, directly impacts nine trains across three key sections, stretching from December 25 to December 28.
Detailed List of Cancelled Trains and Dates
The railway authorities have announced a two-phase cancellation schedule. In the first phase, six train pairs have been cancelled from December 25 to December 28. These include:
- Tata-Barbil-Tata MEMU (68125/68126)
- Tata-Rourkela-Tata MEMU (68043/68044)
- Birmitrapur-Barsuan-Birmitrapur passenger (58151/58152)
- Rourkela-Jharsuguda-Rourkela MEMU (68029/68030)
- Chakradharpur-Rourkela-Chakradharpur MEMU (68025/68026)
- Tata-Gua-Tata MEMU (68019/68020)
Subsequently, three more train pairs will remain off the tracks from December 26 to December 28:
- Chakradharpur-Tata-Chakradharpur MEMU (68010/68009)
- Kharagpur-Tata-Kharagpur MEMU (68006/68011)
- Hatia-Jharsuguda-Hatia MEMU (18175/18176)
A Pattern of Precaution: Fog and Wildlife Collide
This is not an isolated incident but part of a recurring safety protocol. Previously, the division had cancelled five trains on December 18-19, four on December 20-21, and eight trains from December 22-24. Aditya Choudhary, the Senior Divisional Commercial Manager (Chakradharpur), explained the evolving rationale. "Earlier, the trains were cancelled for the movement of elephants. But now, we are experiencing dense fog on the stretch. We cannot take risks with the lives of elephants," he stated.
The primary areas of concern are the Rourkela-Chakradharpur, Rourkela-Jharsuguda, and Rourkela-Nuagaon sections, where reduced visibility poses a severe threat to elephants crossing the tracks. Beyond cancellations, authorities are regulating long-distance trains, deploying track clearance teams, and implementing strict Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to prevent accidents.
Commuters Bear the Brunt, Weather to Persist
The repeated cancellations are causing significant inconvenience to daily passengers. Vijay Mahato, a postal department employee, shared his ordeal: "I used to go to my office in Chaibasa by train. But now, I have been going to office with my colleague in his car due to the cancellations and long delays of trains between Chakradharpur and Tatanagar."
Acknowledging the passenger woes, Aditya Choudhary added, "The railways is aware of the problems faced by passengers. But we have to take hard decisions." The weather outlook suggests these challenges may continue. The Ranchi office of the India Meteorological Department has forecast shallow to moderate fog over parts of Jharkhand until December 28. Furthermore, several western districts like Garhwa, Palamu, and Gumla experienced an isolated cold wave, with Gumla recording a low of 4°C on Thursday.
The situation underscores the critical balance infrastructure managers must strike between operational efficiency, passenger service, and indispensable environmental and wildlife conservation imperatives.
