Ahmedabad-Mumbai Vande Bharat route: Fencing railway tracks helps reduce cattle run-over cases

According to data from the Railways, cattle deaths have reduced to zero in sections where 100% fencing work has been completed by Mumbai Central and Vadodara divisions of the Railways.

Soon after Vande Bharat began its run on the route — after inauguration by the Prime Minister on September 30, 2022 — the semi-high speed train between Gandhinagar (Ahmedabad)-Mumbai Central drew public flak after it ran over cattle on multiple occasions — and in one case a 54-year-old woman — in a series of incidents. The Railways subsequently decided to fence the entire route.

In the Western Railway route of the Vande Bharat, there is scope of putting up metal barrier fencing along the 623-km route, accounting for both sides of the tracks, split between three railway divisions: Mumbai Central, Vadodara, and Ahmedabad. So far, 57% of the overall work has been completed.

The Mumbai Central division has achieved 55% progress in its share of 269 route kilometres of fencing. Its cattle run-over cases have reduced from 29 last year to 13 in the March-May period this year.

The Vadodara section, tasked to fence 322 route kilometres, has achieved 54% progress. Its cattle-death numbers have, however, remained almost the same: down only two in the period concerned from last year’s 43.

The Ahmedabad part of the route has completed its entire share of 31.6 route kilometres, where cattle run-over numbers have come down from three last year to one this year.

Along with Western Railway, the Prayagraj-based North Central Railway has also been asked to fence its Vande Bharat routes. The route of the Rani Kamlapati (Bhopal) to Delhi’s Hazrat Nizamuddin Vande Bharat has been given a maximum speed of 160 km per hour, and the zonal railways has decided to fence the route and work will be complete by next year, a Railways spokesperson said.

The zone has identified vulnerable locations for cattle-related incidents such as Kitham-Farah, Agra-Bhandei, and Vrindavan-Bhuteshwar-Ajhai. These areas are being given immediate attention, officials said.

Railway designers have adopted the design of highway crash barriers made of metal as well as the novel oil-coated bamboo fences for the Vande Bharat route.