Tripura: NHIDCL, Railways urged to build elephant underpasses to curb man-animal conflict

Agartala: Tripura Forest Minister Animesh Debbarma on Thursday said that the Ministry of Railways and the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) have been requested to construct underpasses along stretches that fall under the state’s elephant corridor to reduce the growing incidents of man-elephant conflict.

Speaking to reporters, Debbarma said that Tripura’s elephant corridor once extended up to Chittagong in Bangladesh, where the lush forest cover provided ample space for wild elephants to roam freely.

However, after the erection of barbed wire fencing along the Indo-Bangladesh border, the animals’ natural habitat shrank considerably. As a result, elephants are now confined to smaller forest areas and often stray into human settlements in search of food, leading to conflict.

“With the expansion of railway and national highway networks passing through elephant habitats, the animals face increasing difficulty in moving between different parts of the forest. If underpasses are constructed, elephants will be able to move safely, and instances of man-animal conflict will decrease significantly,” the minister said.

Experts have pointed out that elephant herds follow a fixed migration route and generally remain within the forest if adequate food is available.

To mitigate conflicts, the authorities should ensure sufficient food sources within forest areas by planting banana trees and bamboo on a large scale, they suggested.

The minister made these remarks during the state-level Wildlife Week celebration. Highlighting conservation efforts, he said, “We have over 100 listed wildlife species in Tripura. Protecting them is vital for preserving ecological balance, as every species plays a distinct role in maintaining the environment.”

Debbarma also announced that the Forest Department would soon recruit 194 personnel, including 104 forest guards and 90 rangers, to strengthen anti-poaching measures and curb unscientific encroachment on forest land.