The key objective behind erecting boundary walls along the tracks was always to prevent cattle hits and human run-overs. This initiative now seems to have an added security dimension in the backdrop of increased mysterious derailments, which are being suspiciously viewed as part of the ‘rail jihad’ conspiracies of terror groups based in Pakistan.
In the Central Railways’ Nagpur division, around 1,200-km of boundary walls worth approximately Rs1,141 crores have been envisioned to bolster security and enhance speed, reducing delays and safety slowdowns.
The erection of the boundary walls, announced by the railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw in 2022, is also expected to reduce wildlife accidents in divisions where the tracks cut across forested stretches. Apart from human run-overs, security officials also claimed there was a rise in suicide deaths on the tracks, which can be best prevented by restricting access.
According to the officials, the boundary walls would serve the purpose of guarding the tracks from various unwarranted intrusions, which lead to accidents and damage to railway property, apart from delaying schedules and causing harassment to passengers. “Indian Railways suffer considerable delays and chaos in the schedule due to disturbances on the tracks leading to accidents,” said the official.
Senior divisional commercial manager, Nagpur Division, Central Railway, Aman Mittal informed that the erection of the boundary walls in the 22-km stretch between Itarsi and Amla has been completed. The 38-km stretch, costing Rs30 crores, between Sewagram and Narkhed is also completed. The boundary wall between Kala Patthar-Pola Patthar-Magardoh (Nagpur-Bhopal Section) is also completed. “In some sections, the tendering process is underway, while in others, the work is being completed,” said Mittal, adding that the boundary walls would also help in increasing the speed on the tracks.
