Chennai: Stray cattle menace is on a high in several parts of the neighbourhood including Madipakkam, Ullagaram and Puzhuthivakkam in Chennai. Residents allege that officials have taken no action to impound them.
Speaking to News Today, Kannan, a resident of Ram Nagar, says, “They roam freely on main roads and during peak hours, they are a big hurdle to traffic. Also they create havoc in public places. And they spread the waste from bins at many places.”
“A visit to Medavakkam Main Road during morning hours is difficult. These cattle pull bags from vehicles and sometime chase people. We are really afraid of our safety,” he adds. “These bovines occupy bus shelters forcing commuters to come out and stand in the middle of the road. Though we made several complaints to authorities concerned, no action has been taken yet,” laments Jeevanandham, a resident of Ullagaram.
He recalls that a few days ago, he fell off from his motorcycle when after a stray cattle ran mad on the road near the bus stand.
Gomathy, who runs a vegetable shop in the neighbourhood, says, “Cattle are periodically found on roads, holding up traffic. While there is not enough space in the road for vehicles to move about, cows are seen on the road, often.”
Authorities should act fast and impound stray cattle, say residents in one voice, adding that owners who let their cattle on the roads must be penalised.