Amreli: Last week, a tragic incident occurred near Ucchaiya village in Amreli district, where two lions lost their lives after colliding with a moving train. Now, It is learnt that over 70% of train accidents involving lions have taken place near this village in recent years. However, the forest department has taken decisive measures and successfully saved 129 lions between July 2022 and July 2023 along the stretch from Rajula to Pipavav port.

The region comprising several villages, such as Ucchaiya, Rampara, Berai, and Bacchader, is home to more than 25 lions. Unfortunately, these big cats remain at risk of collisions with trains travelling to and from Port Pipavav, with around 25 to 30 goods trains passing through the track on a daily basis.

To tackle this issue, the department has deployed 45 staff, including forest guards, specifically during the night to monitor lion movements on railway tracks. They have identified areas frequented by lions and installed anti-reflector signboards to alert loco pilots. Additionally, watchtowers have been erected along railway tracks, and solar lights have been installed to improve visibility.

Forest guards have been equipped with reflector jackets and batons to signal loco pilots during train passages in areas densely populated with lions, with the aim of avoiding further collisions. DeshGujarat.