New Delhi [India], February 3 (ANI): Minister of Railways, Communications and Electronic and Information Technology, Ashwini Vaishnaw on Friday informed Rajya Sabha that a number of preventive measures had been taken by Zonal Railways to reduce animal fatalities on the Railway tracks.

In a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha, the Minister said, "Cleaning of garbage and removal of wild vegetation along with the track has been started. It also includes sensitization of Train Crew on a regular basis for frequent whistling at locations prone for cattle/animal run over and construction of fencing/boundary wall at identified locations of trespass by cattle/animal and approaches of major towns."He also informed that an initiative was taken up to give Counselling villagers for taking necessary steps to avoid cattle coming near the track and not to dump food waste along the railway track to avoid unnecessary congregation of animals near the railway track through safety seminars/propagandas in villages.

Minister said that all electric and diesel locomotives are provided with cattle guards for protecting locomotives from cattle hits. Hence, the quantum of financial loss that is the amount spent on related damage/repair of such incidents is nominal.

According to the Railway department during the year 2019-20, 27,057 instances of cattle run-over on track happened and 37,067 trains lost punctuality due to these incidents.

"In the year 2020-21, 19,960 incidents of cattle runover happened and 23,164 lost punctualities. In 2021-22, 28,727 incidents happened and 36,060 trains lost punctuality due to these incidents. Whereas in 2022-2023 till January 23, 26,180 cattle run over on railway track has happened and 35,734 trains lost punctuality due to cattle these incidents," Railway added.

Vaishnaw also informed that hundreds of cases had been registered under sections 154 and 147 of the Railway Act, 1989 against persons whose cattle are found moving on railway land and many of them have been arrested since 2019.

Minister said that in 2019, 35 cases registered and 35 persons are arrested under section 147 and 16 cases under section 154 and 16 persons were arrested. The number increased in 2020, 2021 and 2022. In 2022, 356 cases were registered and 348 persons are arrested under section 147 and 72 cases under section 154 and 58 persons are arrested, he added. (ANI)