In a written response to BJP MP Pratap Chandra Sarangi's inquiry, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw disclosed that five train accidents occurred in 2021-22 and 2022-23 due to stray cattle on the tracks. Vaishnaw provided this information during a session in the Lok Sabha.
Sarangi had sought clarification on rail accidents involving stray cattle across the nation and inquired about the government's efforts to fence railway tracks, particularly in Odisha's Balasore.
In response, Vaishnaw outlined the existing provisions, stating that fencing is mandated at vulnerable locations for speeds exceeding 110 kmph to 130 kmph, and along the entire track for speeds exceeding 130 kmph. He further mentioned plans for safety fencing on the Kharagpur-Bhadrak section, encompassing Balasore district.
Zone-wise data on track fencing indicated that the North Central Railway Zone led with 949 km, followed by the West Central Zone with 726 km and the Western Zone with 720 km. The cumulative length of fencing across all zones amounted to 4,469 km.