Stray cattle give city drivers winter chills

Ludhiana: The municipal corporation’s failed efforts in tackling stray cattle have left the commuters vulnerable. As winter nears, concerns grow over the difficulty in spotting these wandering cows and buffaloes on the road in foggy conditions, which exacerbates public safety hazards.

Stray cattle continue to roam the streets and inner roads of Ludhiana, frustrating residents at the MC’s lack of effective solutions. In the past general house meetings, the councillors from various parties criticised the civic body’s approach to managing cow shelters and removing cattle from public spaces. However, since the dissolution of the general house, there’s little pressure on the MC to act, so the situation has worsened.

Former Congress councillor Baljinder Singh highlighted the seriousness of the issue. He said: “If the MC can’t clear stray cattle from the roads, they should consider relocating those to the driving-test tracks, so that people can learn defensive driving. Stressing the need for prioritising human lives, he noted that previously, the councillors’ push for action hasd resulted in some progress.

The MC’s failure has alarmed residents across Ludhiana. Gursharan Singh of Hambran Road voiced his concerns about how the children and families feel intimidated by the stray cattle. He recalled that the MC had promised to build a cattle pound out of the cow cess it collected from the public.

An MC official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, claimed that plans are afoot to move stray cattle to a pound in Burj Pawat, with three additional pounds under construction. The officials said: “Once these are built, we will begin relocating cattle from the main roads.”

Earlier this year, the corporation had identified 1,300-odd stray cattle on the city’s roads, but failed to remove those. A proposal to install microchips in dairy cattle to hold the farmers accountable for abandoning non-milking cows on the streets also remains on paper.

As public frustration mounts, residents have requested the civic body to ensure safety on Ludhiana’s streets this winter.

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