SMS alert to prevent elephant–train collisions

The committee appointed recently to prevent elephant–train collisions has submitted a proposal to introduce an SMS alert network to get public help to prevent such accidents.

There is also another proposal to run night mail trains during the daytime, a committee member, Project Director - Elephant Collisions, Railways Department, Irosh Perera said.

Under the SMS alert system, anyone who spots an elephant roaming near a railway line can immediately text the Railway control room and inform them of the situation. The Railway Department will also formulate a system to inform an engine driver immediately if a member of public informs the Control room via text message of a wild elephant nearby.

The Railway Department will soon introduce a hotline for the SMS service, Perera said.

There were several reports in the recent past of collisions of elephants with trains. It is reported that around 12 elephants have died within a very short period of time due to elephant–train collisions. Therefore, it is the responsibility of the public to provide the correct information on wild elephants to prevent further occurrence of such accidents, he said.

The committee has also paid attention on running night mail and freight trains in the daytime without disrupting the service of daytime passenger trains, he said.

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