KOCHI: The Trivandrum division of Railways claimed compensation of Rs 1 lakh from a person whose coconut tree fell over the rail electric line near Alappuzha recently.The tree owner has been asked to pay the amount to compensate for the losses caused to the Railways due to the obstruction.People usually grow trees close to railway tracks without being aware that they would be held responsible for the losses faced by the Railways in the event of trees falling on overhead lines or railway tracks.The Railways has requested the public to cut off trees that overhang rail tracks or electric lines, as these could obstruct its operations.The 20-metre-long coconut tree that had disrupted Railway operations for about two hours stood only about 15 metres away from the track. But, some owners in the area refuse to cut off their trees. While they demand Rs 5,000 as compensation for each tree, the Railways, as per rules, can offer only Rs 150 per tree.“However, they have agreed to trim their trees,” a senior official of the Electrical Engineering Traction said.In most of the cases, the trees were planted much after the tracks were laid, the official said.The meeting on remuneration payment was held by the district administration concerned. The Railways is conducting a survey of areas where such trees pose threat to its operations.There are about 6,000 trees rooted close to the railway tracks in the division. “The problem of overhung trees is more pronounced in Kerala compared to other states due to heavy vegetation,” the official said.District Collector P I Sheikh Pareeth said the Railways had not yet approached the administration regarding the issue.
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