Indian Railways will install wildlife-protection fencing along the Budhni–Barkheda railway section in Madhya Pradesh as part of a ₹288-crore programme covering the 530-km Bina–Khandwa route, with completion targeted by 2027. The measure is intended to reduce animal-train collisions, protect wildlife movement and limit train delays caused by animals entering the tracks.
The Budhni–Barkheda stretch passes through ecologically sensitive terrain near the Ratapani forest landscape, where animal movement across the railway alignment has been identified as a safety concern for wildlife and railway operations. Officials said the fencing would create a physical barrier between the track and adjoining forest areas, preventing wild animals and cattle from straying onto the railway corridor.
Nawal Agarwal, PRO of the Bhopal railway division, said the presence of animals near the tracks frequently forces locomotive pilots to brake or reduce speed. These precautionary slowdowns can disrupt train schedules, particularly on busy long-distance routes, while sudden sightings also increase the risk of collisions, he said.
The proposed fencing is part of a broader set of measures being developed along the corridor. Railway authorities are separately constructing animal overpasses on the Budhni–Barkheda section to provide wildlife with safer ways to cross the tracks. Officials said the fencing would be installed with attention to local terrain and animal-movement patterns.
The wider sensitive corridor includes the Budhni–Midghat–Chauka–Barkheda stretch. Wildlife activists and railway officials have previously raised concerns about fragmented fencing and inadequate animal passages in the area. Environmental groups have urged the Railways to coordinate the protective infrastructure so that fencing does not divert animals towards unsafe locations or block established movement routes.
The Bina–Khandwa fencing programme forms part of the national transporter’s wider effort to secure vulnerable stretches of its network. Railways has already installed fencing along thousands of kilometres, including sections in Madhya Pradesh, to prevent trespassing and reduce accidents involving cattle and wild animals.
According to railway officials, the objective is to protect wildlife while creating a safer and more reliable corridor for passenger and freight services. The department expects the full 530-km project to be completed by 2027, subject to the planned implementation schedule.
