GST Road not exempt from stray cattle menace, rue commuters

CHENNAI: The stray cattle menace in the city, which sees no signs of weakening despite many deaths and warnings issued by the Chennai Corporation, is not restricted to streets and residential areas but also affects normal life at arterial stretches such as the GST Road from Tambaram to Chrompet.

Scavenging cattle are a perennial issue for eateries located in the stretch. Banks and other shops, located along the Amala Annai Complex in this place, too find it tough to brush aside with cattle roaming around. The garbage being dumped in the open on the main road is a feeding point for the cattle, worsening the situation.

“We can’t peacefully do our business because of the continuous disturbance from the cattle. Sometimes they also damage our goods, we have to constantly keep a watch and shoo them away. We witness a lot of accidents due to cattle roaming on the roads,” rues Jayaprakash, a shopkeeper from the Amala Annai complex.

Freely roaming cattle add up to the peak traffic hours traffic clog, say commuters. “The GST Road from Tambaram Sanatorium towards Chrompet, having a lot of IT companies near MEPZ, is one of the worst affected. The cattle roaming on the main road block the free flow of traffic. It is not just the roadsides but often the cattle owners use footpaths to tie the cattle and feed them,” said Jagannath, a commuter on the stretch.

The Tambaram Corporation officials say that they are taking several measures to bring the cattle menace under control in the area. “We are planning to set up Gowshalas in the Tambaram corporation limits to address the issue of cattle menace in various areas of the corporation. We are looking for adequate space of land for the same. It has to be given the highest priority since even if we catch the cattle, it is difficult for us to take care of them,” said a senior official from the Tambaram Corporation.

The civic body authorities have also issued instructions to the cattle owners to not leave the cattle on the roads and warned that a hefty fine will be issued apart from impounding the animal.