Three years after incidents of the Mumbai Central-Gandhinagar Capital Vande Bharat Express suffering damaged nose and delayed runs due to collision with cattle herds raised safety concerns in high-speed train operations, the Western Railway — in a first-of-its-kind initiative of the Indian Railways — installed W-beam fencing along the 565-kilometre length of the tracks of the Vande Bharat route, bringing down the incidents of Cattle Run Overs (CRO) by 81%.Soon after its launch in September 2022, repeated incidents of collision of the Mumbai-Gandhinagar Vande Bharat, with images of the train’s Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) nose cone damaged surfacing, posed grave risk to the train operating at high speed. Besides, they threatened the lives of cattle grazing along the tracks.To counter this, the Western Railway installed the W-beam fencing — a crash barrier widely used by the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) — along the stretch from Mumbai to Gandhinagar as well as an additional 300 kilometers from Vadodara Junction to Nagda on the Rajdhani Express route.From 538 reported cases of CRO between Virar and Ahmedabad in 2022-23 to 101 cases in 2024-25, and 12 until July 23 in the current financial year, the Western Railway has been able to achieve a significant reduction with continuous fencing on the Vande Bharat route.According to records of the Western Railways, the figure of 12 cattle that died between April 1 and July 23 this year is also lower than the 27 that died in the corresponding period last year.Of these, the maximum cattle deaths have been recorded in the sections from Virar to Surat and from Vadodara Junction to Geratpur, owing to the fact that these sections are located outside the urban sector and surrounded by villages where cattle rearing is a common profession.In 2022-23, out of the 538 incidents of cattle deaths, 302 were reported between Virar and Surat while 140 were reported between Vadodara and Geratpur. The number significantly reduced to 48 CROs between Virar and Surat and 37 cases between Vadodara and Geratpur in 2024-25. Officials said that the elevated railway tracks between Surat and Vadodara have meant a lower number of CROs — from 72 in 2022-23 to nine in 2024-25 — as compared to the other sections.Story continues below this adThe 565 kilometres of W-beam fencing installed along the route is also the longest “thorough fenced section” of the Indian Railways. Chief Public Relations Officer, Western Railway, Vineet Abhishek, told The Indian Express, “In the initial months, when Vande Bharat had started, there were incidents of cattle run-overs, which were very unfortunate. Western Railway, under the guidance of the Railway Board, took up this initiative in a mission mode to figure out a solution to bring down these cases. It (the collisions) not only adversely affects train operation but also raises concern for the safety of our train passengers…”Following the incidents reported during the early run of the Mumbai-Gandhinagar Vande Bharat — the second to be launched in the country — the Railway Protection Force (RPF) had identified vulnerable locations and carried out awareness and sensitisation campaigns at all the locations. In 2022, RPF conducted 1,023 awareness campaigns at vulnerable locations along with meetings with the sarpanches of all villages in the vicinity of railway tracks. The railways also identified that dumping of garbage along the railway tracks by the people also attracted the cattle in the area.Railway officials said that while conventional locomotives are fitted with cattle guards to prevent the animals from slipping under the train, the new designs of Vande Bharat are designed for an aesthetic look and the nose does not feature rail guards although the engines are robust and protected beneath the FRP layer.According to officials, the W-beam fencing was chosen after much deliberation, considering that it was the most popular crash-barrier on highways to absorb the impact of high-speed cars. The W-beam has been installed in a staggered manner to ensure that cattle do not stray onto the railway track and, at the same time, the path for villagers is not blocked throughout the tracks. The staggered installation also allows movement of railway goods across the tracks when needed.Story continues below this ad“It was also equally important to bring down loss of animal life and resources for villagers residing near our railway tracks. Multiple solutions were explored and finally, the W-beam fence was installed in the entire section of the Vande Bharat route and Rajdhani route of the Western Railway. As a result, the number of CROs have come down drastically. It is almost negligible as compared to FY 2022-23,” Abhishek said.Vivek Kumar Gupta, General Manager, Western Railway, said, “Train-animal collisions pose significant risks, including derailment. However, recent initiatives have led to a drastic reduction in cattle run-over rates, allowing drivers to operate trains with increased confidence and safety. Moreover, cattle have livestock value for the villagers. This initiative to fence the entire route has not only benefited the Railways, but also these villagers and their livestock. As a result, the initiative is being widely appreciated by all.”