WR to spend Rs 264 crore to build fences in Mumbai-Ahmedabad route to stop animal hits over by Vande Bharat Express

The Western Railway has said it would install fences along the Mumbai-Ahmedabad route by May next year to stop animals from straying onto the tracks and getting run over by trains, a move coming in the backdrop of the prestigious Vande Bharat Express hitting cattle four time since its launch on September 30.

Addressing a press conference at the railway zone's headquarters at Churchgate here on Friday, WR General Manager Ashok Kumar Misra said tenders have been invited for the construction of the fences on the 620-kilometre-long route, which is expected to cost Rs 264 crore.

According to Western Railway officials, the stainless steel fences will be a w-beam structure at a height of 1.5 metres from the ground. We are going to install it (w-beam) at a height of 1.5 meters. The advantage is that people can cross it but not animals, Misra explained.

WR chief public relations officer Sumit Thakur said the Vande Bharat service was running with an average occupancy of 130 per cent and has become tremendously popular with passengers.

Meanwhile, Misra said WR has received two extra air-conditioned suburban trains though he did give a date when these will be introduced.