CHENNAI: In addition to unplanned urbanisation and traffic congestion, Pattabiram, once a silent residential locality, now faces another challenge – stray cattle on the roads feeding on vegetable waste. It affects motorists, pedestrians, and roadside vendors.

Left with no space to rear cows, cattle owners often leave the animals to feed from the vegetable waste dumped by traders.

“After 3 pm, cows walk across the roads to go into market areas that are already congested. The livestock chokes traffic till late night and a few are a threat to senior citizens. The situation is worse when motorists pass through. There are instances where the parked vehicles with food items are often pushed down by the cattle to consume the eatables,” said Vijayashankari, a resident.

Vendors also lamented over the cattle that often hinder their businesses and blame the owners for being irresponsible. “We’ve complained about it to the Corporation officials and sought their intervention, but the cows are not caught,” rued Martin Luther, a local shopkeeper in Pattabiram market.

When contacted, an official attached to the Avadi Corporation, said that the residents have been cattle owners for years, and admitted that the livestock invading the market area was common.

“There have been complaints from the public and traders who want these cows to be caught and bound. At present, there is a shortage of manpower and vehicles to transport the stray cattle. Most cattle owners do not have dedicated sheds and raise cows in open areas, which compound the problem. We’ll look into the issue,” the official added.