Chennai Citizen Connect: Hefty fines on owners can stop cattle menace, say Anna Nagar commuters
The cows, which find their way to this four-way junction, have been a constant threat to the commuters and the public.
Stray cattle jaywalking on busy 6th Avenue junction in Anna Nagar
CHENNAI: At any hour of the day, a few cows can be spotted standing, crossing or idling at the roundabout at the Anna Nagar 6th Avenue junction, one of the busiest intersections in the city.
The cows, which find their way to this four-way junction, have been a constant threat to the commuters and the public.
“They are idle most of the time, but crossing the road on their own is always a risk,” said a worker at the nearby tea shop.
“If the owners are traced and fined, this wouldn’t happen again. But the problem is with follow-up and enforcement,” he added.
Traffic personnel at the signal, too, said that the presence of animals on the road multiplies their everyday challenges.
Not just Anna Nagar, but cattle continue to eat up road space in Kodambakkam, Koyambedu and many such dense neighbourhoods. While searching for food is cited as the main reason for cattle straying to such neighbourhoods, a lack of enforcement in tracing the owners who deliberately let cattle roam has irked the public.
GCC veterinary officer J Kamal Hussain noted that once the setting up of 17 cow shelters across all zones in the city is completed, enforcement will be more stringent. "We are planning to keep the cattle captured straying in public spaces instead of returning them after owners pay the fine,” he said.
"Owners deliberately let cattle on the roads. We have been receiving more complaints and will make sure intense drives are carried out to curb the menace,” he added.
