The Indian Railways has introduced a new metal fencing solution to address the persistent problem of cattle and two-wheelers crossing onto railway tracks. Officials revealed that the newly designed W-Beam metal fence is engineered to prevent such crossings by eliminating gaps at ground level and between the two beams, ensuring that neither cattle nor vehicles can access the tracks.

Increasing train speeds is a key priority for the Indian Railways, but operating trains at speeds above 110 kmph requires enhanced safety measures. Specifically, fencing along the tracks is crucial to prevent interference, particularly from animals and two-wheelers. Traditional railway boundary fences have often proven ineffective in stopping cattle from straying onto the tracks, prompting the development of a more robust solution.

After extensive discussions, the W-Beam metal fencing was selected for implementation and is currently being installed on the Ahmedabad-Mumbai route, where train speeds are set to increase to 160 kmph. Other railway zones have also been instructed to install this fencing along 100 km stretches on the New Delhi-Mumbai and New Delhi-Howrah routes, both of which are planned for 160 kmph train operations. To date, 6,547 km of fencing has been completed across the railway network.

In addition to the fencing, Indian Railways is also constructing pedestrian subways at identified locations to facilitate safe crossing for cattle, two-wheelers, and pedestrians.

Railway officials also highlighted the latest advancements in the Automatic Train Protection system, Kavach 4.0, which has been designed to function efficiently across India’s diverse geography, from deserts to mountains and forests to coastal regions.

Additionally, the number of railway accidents has decreased significantly due to the various safety measures implemented in recent years. From 2012-2014, an average of 2.6 accidents per day was recorded, which dropped to just 0.5 accidents per day during 2022-2024. For the year 2023-24, officials reported 49-yard derailments and 40 main line accidents, a substantial improvement compared to the 263-yard derailments and 118 main line accidents in 2013-14.

The introduction of the W-Beam fencing and other safety measures reflects Indian Railways’ commitment to enhancing safety and operational efficiency across its network.


(With PTI inputs)