Indian Railways plans to install wildlife fencing along the Budhni–Barkheda section in Madhya Pradesh as part of a ₹288-crore programme covering the Bina–Khandwa route, with the 530-km project targeted for completion by 2027.
The fencing is intended to prevent wild animals and cattle from straying onto railway tracks through forested and ecologically sensitive areas near the Ratapani landscape. Railway officials said the measure is aimed at reducing animal-train collisions, protecting wildlife and improving the reliability of train operations.
The Budhni–Barkheda stretch is part of a wider corridor identified as sensitive for animal movement. The Budhni–Midghat–Chauka–Barkheda section has previously raised concerns because of fragmented fencing and inadequate passage arrangements, according to railway officials and wildlife activists cited in the report.
Nawal Agarwal, PRO of the Bhopal railway division, said animals near the tracks often force locomotive pilots to brake or reduce speed. These precautionary measures can disrupt schedules on busy long-distance routes and increase the risk of accidents when animals are spotted at short notice.
The proposed fencing will create a physical barrier between the rail alignment and adjoining forest areas. Railway authorities said its design and installation would take local terrain and animal-movement patterns into account. The project is also expected to support safer movement of passenger and freight trains through the corridor.
The fencing programme is being planned alongside animal overpasses that are under construction on the Budhni–Barkheda section. Wildlife groups have urged the Railways to complete the barriers and crossing structures in coordination, warning that fencing without safe passages could divert animals towards other unsafe points along the track.
The Bina–Khandwa programme forms part of the Railways’ broader effort to secure vulnerable sections of its network. The national transporter has already installed fencing along thousands of kilometres, including stretches in Madhya Pradesh, to prevent trespassing and reduce accidents involving cattle and wild animals.
Railway officials said the objective was to protect wildlife while creating a safer and more dependable corridor for train operations. If completed as scheduled, the fencing programme will cover 530 km by 2027, with the Budhni–Barkheda section among the first areas receiving the wildlife-protection infrastructure.
