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GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS
RAJYA SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 920
ANSWERED ON 06.02.2026
RAIL CORRIDOR THROUGH GIR FOREST
920 SHRI PARIMAL NATHWANI:
Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:
(a) whether plans exist for constructing an elevated rail corridor through Gir forest to protect Asiatic
lions;
(b) if so, the current status of the project, including feasibility studies, funding and expected
completion timeline;
(c) details of measures like underpasses, speed restrictions or IT monitoring already implemented
following Gujarat High Court directives; and
(d) the coordination mechanism between Railways and Gujarat Forest Department to ensure lions’
safety?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, INFORMATION & BROADCASTING AND
ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
(SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)
(a) to (d): The existing railway network passing through Gir forest area is Metre Gauge (MG)
section. For the safety of wildlife, the trains are operated at slow speed in identified lion passing
corridor. Also, 2 Nos. of lion’s underpasses are existing and work of construction of 5 Nos. of lion’s
underpasses has been taken up.
In addition, work for implementation of an Artificial Intelligence based Intrusion Detection System
(IDS) for monitoring lion movement has been sanctioned covering 115 Km in the Damnagar-Pipavav
section of the Bhavnagar Division of Western Railway, located within the Gir National Park and Lion
Wildlife Sanctuary.
The system is designed to generate alerts for Loco Pilots, Station Masters and Control Room about the
movement of lions in proximity of railway tracks for taking timely preventive action.
For the Co-ordination between Railway & Forest department, review committees i.e. Circle Level
Committee, Divisional Level Committee and Range Level Committee have been established. The
meetings of said committees are conducted quarterly, bi-monthly and monthly respectively. The issues
discussed in the meetings are resolved proactively by Railways.
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