The Forest Department will identify two places for construction of railway underpasses for elephants between Madukkarai and Walayar where the railway line is close to the forest.

A senior forest officer told The Hindu that this was mutually agreed by the Tamil Nadu Forest Department and top Palakkad Railway Division officials at a meeting here on Sunday.

The meeting was held following the death of two jumbos on the track near Madukkarai in less than 40 days.

Additional Principal Chief Conservators of Forests H. Basavaraju (Wildlife) and Raghuram Singh (Project Tiger), the Divisional Railway Manager of Palakkad Division Naresh Lalwani took part in the meeting.

On receiving funds from the Tamil Nadu Government, the work will be executed by the Railways.

Railway officials have reportedly agreed to clear bushes along the curves between Madukkarai and Walayar to enable better visibility for loco pilots and the elephants. However, on reducing speed of trains, the officials said that it has to be taken by the General Manager of Southern Railways.

Mud ramp

At the location where the elephant was killed on Friday, a mud ramp will be prepared to help jumbos cross the track at ease as the track is about 15 feet high from the ground level. The Forest Department will also deploy additional anti-poaching watchers for joint patrolling on the track with railway gang men from Monday.

Forest Department will clear a 3-km stretch alongside the ‘B’ line of the track running through the reserve forest from Cholakarai Beat in Madukkarai Range, to facilitate patrolling and chasing animals from the track.

On receiving funds from the Tamil Nadu Government, the work will be executed by the Railways