BIJNOR: Forest department officials on Tuesday demanded the reduction of permissible speed of trains to 35 kmph from 80 kmph to prevent harm to wild animals in Bijnor district.On Monday, a male elephant died after being hit by the Delhi-Kotdwar Express on the Kotdwar-Najibabad branch line. According to officials, the elephant was thrown off at a distance from the track and it died on the spot.Forest officials rushed to the spot and the elephants carcass was removed and buried.Najibabab divisional forest officer (DFO) Ashutosh Pandey said, The elephant was trying to cross the railway line close to Jafarabad under Kaudiya range when the train hit it. Due to the impact, the jumbo was thrown from the track and hit an electric pole. The post-mortem report revealed it died due to excessive blood loss as it received severe injuries to the stomach.The prescribed speed of a train in this forest area is 80 kmph and this trains speed was said to be 70 kmph. In neighbouring Uttarakhands Rajaji National Park, trains pass through forest areas at 35 kmph. Weve written to DRM Moradabad to issue an order to reduce trains speeds from 80 kmph to 35 kmph.Several poles supplying power to trains were damaged in the accident. A passenger train was also cancelled. The electric line was repaired and train operations were resumed. ReplyForward

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