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Jharkhand Halts Trains & Highways as Elephants Force 4-Day Transport Shutdown

Rail and road traffic in Jharkhand face severe disruptions as wild elephant herds cross key transport corridors, leading to the cancellation of 18 local passenger trains for four days. The movement also forced a complete halt on National Highway-33 for nearly an hour, stranding vehicles and causing panic among commuters. In a positive contrast, railway authorities were recently honoured for proactively stopping 12 long-distance trains to allow a herd of 22 elephants to cross safely, averting a potential tragedy. The situation remains critical, with officials reporting six human fatalities from elephant attacks in the state over the past week.

Key Points: Elephant Herds Disrupt Jharkhand Rail, Road Traffic; 18 Trains Cancelled

  • 18 local trains cancelled Dec 25-28
  • NH-33 blocked for an hour by elephant herd
  • 6 human deaths in elephant attacks this week
  • Railway division honoured for averting accident
2 min read

Jharkhand: 18 local trains cancelled, road traffic disrupted due to elephant movement

Wild elephant movement cancels 18 local trains for 4 days, halts NH-33 traffic in Jharkhand, causing commuter chaos amid recent fatal attacks.

"Prioritising animal safety, railway authorities temporarily halted 12 long-distance trains, preventing any mishap. – Railway Officials"

Ranchi, Dec 25

Rail and road traffic across parts of Jharkhand continue to be severely affected due to frequent movement of wild elephants.

Owing to repeated elephant crossings on the Manoharapur-Jharsuguda rail section under the Chakradharpur railway division, as many as 18 local passenger trains have been cancelled for four days, from December 25 to 28, railway officials said.

The cancelled services include Tatanagar-Rourkela-Tatanagar MEMU, Chakradharpur-Rourkela-Chakradharpur MEMU, Tata-Barbil-Tata MEMU, Tata-Gua-Tata MEMU, Tata-Chakradharpur-Tata MEMU and Tata-Kharagpur-Tata MEMU, among other local trains.

The prolonged cancellations have caused immense hardship to daily commuters, particularly those travelling from smaller stations.

Meanwhile, a positive example of wildlife conservation was recently witnessed in the same railway division. A herd of 22 elephants was spotted crossing railway tracks between Bisra and Bandamunda Cabin 'A' on the Howrah-Mumbai main line.

Prioritising animal safety, railway authorities temporarily halted 12 long-distance trains, preventing any mishap, probably amid heightened caution after seven elephants were killed in Assam on December 20, when a herd was hit by the Rajdhani Express.

The timely intervention in Jharkhand averted an accident, and the Wildlife Trust of India later honoured the Chakradharpur railway division for the initiative.

Elephant movement also disrupted road traffic on National Highway-33, which connects Ranchi and Ramgarh, on Wednesday evening. A herd of 18 wild elephants suddenly appeared near the highway, triggering panic among motorists.

As a precaution, police and district authorities halted vehicular movement from both directions. Vehicles coming from Ramgarh were stopped near Mayatungri hill, while traffic from Ranchi was halted in the Kharabera area of the Chutupalu valley.

Traffic on NH-33 remained completely suspended for nearly an hour.

Upon receiving information, the forest department's quick response team reached the spot and safely drove the elephants back into the forest using torches, flashlights, and sirens. Traffic was later restored.

Officials said the situation remains serious, noting that six people have died in elephant attacks in Jharkhand over the past week.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
Heartening to read about the railway authorities halting 12 long-distance trains to let the herd cross safely. After the tragic Assam incident, this caution is necessary. We share this land with them. A little inconvenience for us can save a life. Kudos to the forest department's quick response team too! 🙏
S
Sarah B
I was travelling on NH-33 that evening. It was chaotic and a bit scary when the elephants appeared. But the police handled it well, stopping traffic immediately. The forest team did a great job guiding them away without harm. Safety first, even if it means being stuck for an hour.
A
Aman W
The real issue is habitat loss. Elephants are coming out because their forests are shrinking. Cancelling trains is a temporary fix. The government needs to seriously work on conservation and creating buffer zones. Six people dead in a week is also a tragedy that cannot be ignored.
K
Karthik V
While I appreciate the safety measures, the communication to passengers has been poor. My uncle was at a small station waiting for the Tata-Barbil MEMU with no proper information for hours. The railways must improve their real-time alert system for such disruptions. A little empathy and better planning would help the common man a lot.
N
Nisha Z
It's a complex man-animal conflict. We build highways and rail lines through their homes and then are surprised when they cross. The honour for the railway division is well-deserved, but let's not forget the daily wage workers who rely on these local trains. Their livelihood is hit hard. Need a balanced, compassionate approach.

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