According to a recent press release, the construction of metal beam fencing has been initiated by Indian Railways on Mumbai - Ahmedabad section. This is being done to help prevent cattle from being run over by oncoming trains.
Numerous instances have occurred where Vande Bharat trains plying this route have collided with cattle crossing the railway tracks. This has resulted in the death of the animals as well as damage to the trains.
Construction of this fence which is supposed to be about 622 kilometers will reportedly cost approximately INR 245.26 crore. The press release stated that all of the tenders for the project, totalling eight, have been awarded and work is progressing very well.
The fencing will be constructed using metallic guard rails and will be very robust since it will have two W beams. W beams consist of thicker broad flanges that are good for resisting bend stress.
Frequent cattle movement is also common in the Ghaziabad-Kanpur stretch of the NCR zone, according to a railway official. The zonal railways have been asked by the railway ministry to implement cattle fencing that has been suitably designed, made of bamboo that has been treated with seasoned and Creosate oil, and coated with HDPE (high-density polyethylene). This will be done on North-Central Railway for a stretch of 20 km.
Such fencing is commonly used in places that are especially accident-prone such as expressways and highways. These fences help to provide protection for both pedestrians as well as vehicles. The press release stated that the project is scheduled to be completed by the end of May 2023.
The Western Railways has also made an appeal to cattle owners/grazers to be vigilant in preventing their cattle from straying onto the railway tracks
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