Gujarat Unveils India’s First Lion Railway Underpass

AMRELI -India’s first dedicated railway underpass designed for the safe movement of Asiatic lions has been completed in Gujarat’s Amreli district, marking a new approach to reducing collisions between wildlife and trains in the Gir landscape.

The underpass has been built on the Dhasa-Rajula and Rajula-Pipavav railway sections as part of a joint initiative by Gujarat’s Forest Department and the Bhavnagar Division of Western Railway.

The project was undertaken because lions and other wild animals frequently cross railway tracks passing through the Gir ecosystem, leading to accidental deaths and disruptions.

The Rs 9.42 crore project includes five wildlife underpasses, of which one has now been completed. The remaining four are at various stages of construction.

Officials said the project was conceived to improve the safety of both wildlife and railway operations.

“If the lion underpass concept in Amreli proves successful and accidents involving wild animals are reduced, the initiative will be implemented on other railway routes passing through wildlife-rich areas,” on railway officer said.

He said the underpasses are intended to facilitate the safe movement of lions and other wildlife while helping reduce accidents and ensuring smoother train operations.

The Gir Wildlife Sanctuary and surrounding forests in Gujarat are the world’s only natural habitat of the Asiatic lion. A busy Western Railway line passes through parts of this landscape, where lions and other animals frequently move between forest patches in search of territory, prey and water, bringing them into contact with railway tracks.

Railway officials said the project reflects coordinated efforts by the Railways, the Forest Department and the local administration to improve wildlife conservation while maintaining safe and efficient rail operations. (IANS)