Solar lights on rails between Walayar and Ettimadai to keep elephants off

The Palakkad Division of the Southern Railway has installed 25 solar-powered lights on the twin single lines ‘A’ and ‘B’ between Walayar and Ettimadai railway stations to improve the visibility of loc

The Palakkad Division of the Southern Railway has installed 25 solar-powered lights on the twin single lines ‘A’ and ‘B’ between Walayar and Ettimadai railway stations to improve the visibility of loco pilots and distract wild elephants from entering the track.

According to the Palakkad Division, solar-powered lights of seven watts were installed at 25 locations in the section, including the plain area as well as in the mouth of the cuttings. Of these, 20 locations are on line ‘A’ and the remaining five on line’ B’. Official sources said that the installation works have been completed.

Places where elephants were hit by moving trains in the past, including the section on ‘A’ line near Walayar wherethree elephants were mowed down by a Chennai-bound night train onNovember 26, 2021, have also been covered. The loco pilots of the train had claimed that they could not locate elephants from a distance due to poor visibility.