Sriperumbudur’s stray cattle problem is creating accident risks and traffic disruptions on four major highways, as animals roam during the day and lie on unlit roads at night, according to a report by Deccan Chronicle. Vehicle users have urged the highways department, district administration and local bodies to remove the cattle and take action against owners who allow them to wander.
The affected routes include the Chennai-Bengaluru National Highway, the Sriperumbudur-Kundrathur Highway, the Sriperumbudur-Tambaram Highway and the Walajabad-Oragadam-Sriperumbudur corridor. The roads carry regular vehicle movement, and cattle occupying lanes or road edges are creating difficulties for drivers, particularly after dark.
According to the report, drivers often see the animals only when they are close to them at night. They are then forced to brake suddenly or steer away to avoid hitting the cattle. Such manoeuvres have resulted in accidents, while cattle moving across the carriageway during the day have contributed to congestion.
Traffic police personnel are spending time driving the animals away from the roads to reduce the immediate risk. Vehicle users have said this diverts the police from their core traffic-management responsibilities and called for coordinated action by the departments responsible for highways, local administration and animal control.
The problem is linked to cattle-rearing practices in the area. Hundreds of cattle are reportedly being reared without being kept in permanent sheds. The animals are taken to sheds for milking but are otherwise allowed to graze in public areas, including roads. The report said residents and road users want the owners to be held responsible for allowing cattle to enter traffic corridors.
The dispute also exposes an administrative gap. When complaints are made to the highways department, officials reportedly say that action against stray cattle falls within the responsibility of local bodies. Local representatives, in turn, have said they do not have pounds or other facilities to house the animals and are facing insufficient manpower.
Local representatives are planning to warn cattle owners that fines may be imposed and that stricter action could follow. Vehicle users have asked the concerned departments to implement those measures and remove the cattle from the highways before further accidents occur.
