Elephants ahead! LED boards to warn travellers in Idukki

IDUKKI: If youre driving through the misty Marayur forest stretch, dont be startled when a glowing LED screen suddenly flashes: Elephants on the road! or Go slow! -- it is the forest departments new way of keeping you and the gentle giants safe. In a first-of-its-kind initiative in Kerala, the department has installed digital display boards at two key forest check posts -- Chattamunnar on the Munnar-Udumalpet interstate route and Payas Nagar on the Marayur-Kanthalloor road. The boards will alert motorists about the presence of wild elephants, bison, and even dense fog ahead, helping travellers plan their drive safely through one of the most wildlife-active routes. Each board flashes real-time messages like Misty road, Elephants on the road, and Go slow, aimed at reducing accidents caused by poor visibility and sudden animal crossings. Two digital boards have been set up at the forest check posts at Chattamunnar and one at Payas Nagar. The stretch between Chattamunnar and Munnar, and between Marayur and Chinnar, is known for frequent elephant sightings, especially Padayappa, a well-known tusker in the region. These digital warnings will help prevent panic and reckless driving when animals appear on the road. If the system proves effective, we plan to expand it to other forest routes in the division where human wildlife encounters are frequent, said DFO P J Suhaib.