A Rajdhani Express was temporarily halted in Assam's Hojai district on Wednesday morning after a herd of wild elephants was spotted near a railway track. The train was approaching the area in Hawaipur when forest personnel noticed the elephants attempting to cross the tracks. The alert intervention helped prevent a potentially dangerous encounter between the train and the animals.

According to officials, a forest department staff member spotted the herd near the railway line as the Down Rajdhani Express approached. The information was quickly communicated to those responsible for managing the train's movement. The loco-pilot and the Lumding Railway Control Room responded by ensuring that the train was brought to a halt while the elephants made their way across the track.

The elephant herd was allowed to cross the railway line without being disturbed. Once the animals had safely moved away from the track, the train resumed its journey. The coordinated response involving forest personnel, railway officials and the loco-pilot ensured that both passengers and wildlife remained safe during the incident.

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Assam Forest Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah shared a video of the incident on social media, describing the temporary stoppage as an unexpected halt that allowed the "adorable giants" to cross safely. The footage showed the elephants moving across the railway track while the train remained stationary, offering a glimpse of the challenges involved in managing railway traffic through areas frequented by wildlife.

The incident also draws attention to the recurring risk of train-elephant collisions in Assam, where railway tracks pass through or near elephant habitats and traditional movement routes. Forest and railway authorities have been working to improve coordination and identify elephant movements so that trains can be slowed or stopped when herds are detected near tracks.

The safe crossing in Hojai underscores the importance of quick communication and coordination between railway and forest officials in preventing human-wildlife conflict. In this case, the timely sighting of the elephants and the decision to temporarily stop the Rajdhani Express allowed the herd to cross safely before the train continued its journey.

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