The construction of Asia’s first ‘Elephant Overpass’ for wild elephants on the Dohazari-Cox's Bazar railway line entered final phase.
The newly constructed rail line is likely to obstruct the free movement of the critically endangered Asian elephants that use three forested areas in the rail line area as corridors.
The Dohazari-Cox’s Bazar railway line of Chattogram is passing through the mountain path covering 10 kilometers of Chunati Wildlife Sanctuary area of Lohagara upazila.
Against this backdrop, the Elephant Overpass has been constructed. It was built for wildlife movement. Elephants will run over the overpass and trains will run under it. Elephant overpass has been created so that there is no hindrance in the movement of wild animals due to the railway line.
It is known that the wildlife conservation team of Asian Development Bank (ADB) worked for almost two years to determine the place for the construction of 'Elephant Overpass'. Three underpasses and one overpass have been constructed in it.
Asian elephants traveling between India-Bangladesh-Myanmar make the most of the movement in Chunati Wildlife Sanctuary. Elephants can travel from one hill to another through the overpass.
On the other hand, boundary walls have been constructed on both sides to prevent wildlife from coming to the railway line.
About 41 species of fruit and forest trees including banana, bamboo, preferred by elephants, have been planted on the overpass. This will attract groups of wild elephants to travel through the overpass.
Salt water lakes are being constructed in the sanctuary area to prevent wild animals from coming to the railway line. Wild elephants like to drink salt water. In addition, groups of wild elephants also like to stay there when they see water.
Chunati Wildlife Sanctuary Range Officer Md. Mahmud Hossain said, groups of wild elephants often travel through this road.
Elephant overpass has been constructed there. Herds of wild elephants will be attracted to travel through the overpass. Boundary wall work is in progress up to certain areas on both sides of the overpass.
As a result, the herd of wild elephants will not be able to cross the railway line even if they try because of this boundary wall. The sanctuary's wild elephants and other animals are not used to traveling through overpasses and underpasses.
So it will take some time for them to avoid the railway line and travel by alternative route. Since the construction of the railway line, the movement of wild elephants has decreased significantly.
On September 28, Secretary of Railways Ministry Dr. Md. Humayun Kabir visited the Elephant Overpass constructed in Chunati Wildlife Sanctuary. At this time, he said, the decision to build the Elephant Overpass has been taken considering everything nature and environment. In physical condition, wild elephants naturally travel through that area. So to ensure their smooth travel, Elephant Overpass has been constructed at that place. No such initiative has been taken for wildlife in any Asian country.
It known that the construction of Elephant Overpass in Chunati Wildlife Sanctuary has been completed. Currently the construction of the side wall is in progress. The trial will be held on October 15. Besides, the Dohazari-Cox's Bazar railway line is scheduled to be inaugurated on October 28.