12-05-2025
VMC struggles to tackle stray cattle menace on city roads
Vijayawada: Anticipating stiff opposition and backlash from people, the
Vijayawada Municipal Corporation
(VMC) continues to overlook violators and cattle owners who leave their cattle on city roads, obstructing vehicular traffic and endangering the lives of vehicle the city grapples with the rampant
stray cattle menace
, the municipal corporation has decided to levy a Rs 10,000 fine against cattle owners for releasing their cattle on city roads.
However, it was learnt that civic officials failed to collect Rs 10,000 from violators, and imposed fines below Rs 5,000. The cumulative total fine collected from violators over the last few years is less than Rs 2 lakh, according to VMC Veterinary Assistant Surgeon (VAS) Dr BSS BSS Reddy told TOI that the stray cattle menace persists as cattle owners leave their dry cows on the roads while keeping milking cows inside their cattle sheds.
He explained that the stray cattle problem largely persisted in the One-Town area, parts of Vijayawada West area, and BRTS Road in Satyanarayanapuram, where there is a significant number of Brahmin households who perform puja and give offerings to the veterinary official said that the municipal corporation has a cattle shed at Singh Nagar garbage transfer station where stray cattle, found on city roads, were shifted and released after the cattle owners paid fines. "The cattle shed available at Singh Nagar garbage transfer station is comparatively small and can accommodate just 30 cattle. Hence, the municipal officials abandon a majority of the stray cattle who keep wandering on city roads. To overcome this issue, the civic body proposed to construct a bigger cattle shed in the Kandrika area, and tenders have been floated for the same. However, works did not commence for the construction," the VAS official added.
