SHAMLI: In order to suppress the hazard of rodents near the tracks at numerous train stations in UP, the federal government railway police (GRP) has actually been roped in to avoid individuals from launching caged rats in its area.
In Shamli, for example, the administration has actually even installed boards with cautions against the practice.
Train traffic in-charge (Shamli), Omveer Singh, told TOI on Saturday: These rats frequently dig tunnels below the tracks posing a severe hazard to its stability, besides getting in houses of train staff members residing near the stations.
Circle officer (GRP-Shamli train station), Dharmender Kumar Yadav, said, Many stations in the state deal with the rodent problem.
Ive recently been moved from Ghaziabad and the exact same concern continues there as well.
We have actually cautioned strict action against those who choose to launch caged rats at the railway station due to the fact that it is convenient to them.
We have provision to book the perpetrator under area 34 of the Police Act.
Divisional railway manager (commercial-Moradabad), Sudhir Kumar, with at least 200 train stations in west UP under his jurisdiction, stated, Apart from causing enormous damages like damage of parcels and grain cartons, and digging under the tracks, these rodents negatively impact the signalling system on the basis of which the entire management of train movements and altering of tracks are dependent on.
He added: To make matters worse, these rodents are not the kind we see in our houses.
They are very big in size and have the capability to inflict substantial damage.
For this reason, we give annual agreements to agencies in crucial train stations for cleanliness and rodent management.
Apart from the rail department, those living nearby, including shop-owners, face a huge issue.
Praveen Kumar, who runs a store outside the Meerut train station, stated, There is no place where these rats can not go.
We face routine nibbling of our stock despite taking all the required safety measures.
And the losses are often big.
Not simply in UP, rodent hazard is a seasonal issue for the Railways in the nation.
An RTI answer had actually exposed that Western Railway authorities had invested Rs 1.5 crore to trap 5,457 rats in 3 years, till 2019 .
The number doesnt consist of the ones that passed away in burrows or in other places due to various approaches released by the firms.