M F AHMAD
Daltonganj, Aug 27: Two loco pilots of the Down 11447 Jabalpur-Howrah Shaktipunj express train averted a massive overrun of at least a dozen elephants between Chhipadohar and Hehegara railway stations on Friday evening.
The two loco pilots used both emergency brakes and waited for the herd of elephants to cross the railway tracks in peace.
The train had an unscheduled halt for three minutes for the safe passage of the herd of elephants on Friday evening.
Lagatar24.com correspondent today talked to one of the loco pilots of this train R K Choubey to know what they did for the elephants.
Choubey is the assistant loco pilot while A K Vidyarthi is the senior loco pilot and both were on the crew of this express train on Friday. This express train was running 5 hours late.
Choubey said, “We were given a green signal at Chhipadohar railway station and our train was at 100 kmph speed. There is a caution stretch on the tracks between Chhipadohar and Hehegara railway stations for the wildlife and we were slowing down the speed when all of a sudden we saw a herd of the elephants crossing our track as well as the Up track.”
“We applied our emergency brakes on this train and we halted it at 6.13 pm,” added Choubey.
It took 3 minutes for the herd of elephants to cross the railway tracks safely.
“We proceeded with more caution for what if any elephant could be around,” Choubey said.
On receiving the information, Deputy Director North division of PTR Kumar Ashish praised the two loco pilots who saved the wildlife.
“Entire PTR is thankful to this engine crew,” he said.
According to information, the railways have made their trains run at the speed of 25 kmph on the railway bridge Java which falls in Palamu Tiger Reserve contiguity.
