New Delhi: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has asked the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) to deploy high-end technology to prevent elephant deaths due to collision with trains.

Chief Minister Sarma gave the directions during a meeting with officials to discuss various infrastructure expansion plans on Saturday. NF Railway general manager Ansul Gupta was also present at the meeting.

“Issues like elephant corridor and elephant deaths caused by train hits were also discussed. Asked the GM to deploy high-end tech solutions for saving our tuskers,” Sarma twitted after the meeting.

Jumbos are routinely injured or killed by speeding trains as railway tracks pass through elephant corridors at various places in Assam. Three pachyderms were killed in such an incident in Jorhat district last week.

Sharing details of the meeting, Sarma said, “To discuss expansion of existing rail infrastructure & new projects, met NF Railway GM Shri Ansul Gupta, ASTC (Assam State Transport Corporation) MD Shri Rahul Chandra Das & senior officials of both the organisations.”

The chief minister said his government will allot land to NF Railway for setting up a second entry to Guwahati Railway Station from the Paltan Bazar side.

“For expanding infrastructure at Agthori Railway Station, we’ll provide land after getting a request from NFR,” Sarma added. 

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