Stray cattle give nightmare to drivers on national highways in Tiruchi

Stray cattle roaming the city stretch of the Tiruchi-Madurai National Highway pose a safety threat to road users

Stray cattle roaming the city stretch of the Tiruchi-Madurai National Highway pose a safety threat to road users.

Although the Tiruchi City Corporation has taken steps to prevent stray cattle from roaming the roads by impounding the animals and penalising their owners, efforts to curb the menace on highways around the city are still on.

Cattle grazing on the medians of the city stretch of Tiruchi-Madurai National Highway near K.K. Nagar, Edamalaipatti Pudur and Crawford are a common sight. The owners leave their cattle to graze on the plants grown on the medians and these animals wander on the road hindering the free flow of vehicular traffic.

Similarly, the menace has become rampant on roads such as Tiruchi-Dindigul National Highway near Pirattiyur, Tiruchi-Chennai National Highway near Mannarpuram and Senthaneerpuram, and Tiruchi-Pudukottai National Highway.

Road users have a tough time spotting the cattle at night, especially on stretches with poor illumination. “Most of the city stretches lack illumination and stray cattle roaming freely on roads pose a risk to road users, especially two-wheeler riders as the animals amble to the middle of the road, causing accidents,” said K. Vignesh, a motorist.

Road users claim that there are frequent incidents of vehicles losing control becaue of cattle roaming freely on the road. They suggest that the stray cattle should be fitted with reflective collars so that motorists and road users spot them from a distance at night.

“Considering the risk, the civic body should conduct the drive in vulnerable spots on the highways. Strict action should be taken against the owners of cattle to put an end to the menace and ensure the safety of road users,” said N. Jamaludeen, a civic activist.