Cows still have the right of way on city roads
Stray cattle have become a fixture on roads, causing accidents and blocking traffic. According to govt data from 2023, Tamil Nadu recorded 499 animal-related road accidents — nearly half of them fatal. But, Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) data reveals a 74% drop in cattle caught.
In 2022, Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) caught 7,199 heads of cattle, averaging 19 a day. In the first six months of this year, it caught just 1,008, around five a day.
Triplicane, Mandaveli, Koyambedu, GN Chetty Road, Bells Road and Poonamallee High Road report the most cattle-related incidents.
The city has 15 cattle-catching vehicles, one for each zone. Seven are more than a decade old and break down often. Each vehicle carries just one cow at a time and must travel to Pudupet, the city's only functional depot, with a capacity of 80.
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"A vehicle only makes one trip a day, making it possible to only catch one cow a day.
We need more vehicles," said a Sholinganallur zone official.
Last year, GCC announced plans to build cattle shelters at Sholinganallur and Perungudi, but nothing has materialized. Officials blame red tape and lack of funds.
Hiring cattle catchers is also a struggle, say officials. Under the National Urban Livelihood Mission, daily wages are around RS400 and often delayed. The city has just 75 catchers for an estimated 20,000 cattle population.
Even existing shelters are being lost. A cattle depot at Perambur was razed to build a wedding hall while a new centre in Royapuram remains unused.
Stray cattle are returned if owners pay a Rs10,000 fine within two days. "We add RS1,000 a day after that," said veterinary assistant Karunanidhi. Unclaimed animals are handed to NGOs.
Veterinary officer Kamal Hussain said the corporation catches cattle based on complaints and hotspot alerts.
"More cattle caught in an area can mean more complaints," he said.
Many owners have no sheds. "After milking, they let cattle loose and coordinate on WhatsApp to avoid impoundment," said Arun Prasanna of People for Cattle in India. "Habitual offenders shouldn't get their cattle back," he added.
Many cattle owners use river banks as cattle sheds. At Koyambedu, along the Cooum river, A Kalaiarasan rears 10 cows and 10 buffaloes. According to GCC norms, 36sqft space is needed to house one cow. He neither has the space nor the food for cattle. He said his cattle roam around the neighbourhood and return to the banks in the evening.
"They're used to the lights and sounds of the streets," said veterinary assistant surgeon Dr Priya Vinnarasi. "Sometimes they won't even eat if tied up."
Chennai's roads, it seems, suits cattle just fine.
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