The loco pilots rescued eight Asiatic lions by successfully stopping the trains in time while they were passing through their habitat in Gujarat’s Saurashtra region, Western Railway said in a statement.
On Sunday, loco pilot Dhaval P spotted five lions on the railway track between Rajula town and Pipavav in Amreli district. He stopped the cargo train going from Hapa to Pipavaw port by applying emergency brakes. The loco pilot informed the train manager (guard) Lokesh Shah. After the forest guard reached the spot, ensured that the lions were safe and signaled departure, the train departed.
A day before that on Saturday, loco pilot Sunil Pandit saw a lion with two cubs crossing the train track on the stretch between Challa village and Dhari town. He stopped Amreli-Veraval passenger train number 09292 by applying emergency brake. The loco pilot informed the train manager (guard) Vidyanand Kumar. A forest guard reached the spot and saw the lion moving away from the train tracks. The train was then asked to depart, said a statement by Mashuk Ahmed, Senior Divisional Commercial Manager, Bhavnagar Division.
The release said that constant efforts are being made by the loco pilots to operate the trains cautiously and following the prescribed speed to ensure the safety of lions and other wildlife. This has brought the number of lions saved up to 104 in the financial year 2024-25.
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