Citizen connect: Commuters complain of cattle menace at Villivakkam railway station

CHENNAI: Train passengers arriving at the Villivakkam railway station’s south entrance are received by a herd of cattle almost every day. Many cattle are seen roaming outside the station blocking pathways and roads.

DT Next visited the spot to find out the struggles of the daily commuters. They could hardly walk through the herd. The two-wheelers were also seen struggling to manoeuvre their vehicles. There was not a time they could not get through without scraping the animals.

“The cattle come in groups and always lie around the station causing trouble for the passengers and restraining public movement. It causes scare among passengers, especially after repeated incidents of cattle attacks across the city,” said Gayathri S, a regular commuter who travels through Villivakkam railway station.

“Negligence of the authorities concerned is the reason behind the cattle menace. Proper action needs to be taken against the issue so that the passengers can come out of the station without fear,” she added.

Another regular commuter Ramesh K said, “The cattle issue prevails in the railway station for a very long time. The railway station entrance is very near to the market. So the garbage from leftover fruits and vegetables attract the cattle and are seen littered all around the area”.

The sellers in the area are also affected as the cattle frequents the nearby shops. Greater Chennai Corporation officials were not available for comment.