Odisha drafts action plan to curb stray cattle menace on roads
Bhubaneswar, Sept 18 (UNI) Reaffirming its commitment to safer, smarter and more humane roads, Odisha has initiated an action plan to address the growing problem of stray cattle on highways and urban roads.
A high-level meeting chaired by Commerce & Transport Department Principal Secretary Usha Padhee was held today to frame an integrated strategy aimed at safeguarding human lives, protecting animal welfare, and enhancing road safety across the state.
Stray cattle on roads have become a serious safety hazard, causing frequent accidents and fatalities. Road crash data highlights the gravity of the issue: in 2022, 952 accidents and 521 deaths; in 2023, 1,168 accidents and 643 deaths; and in 2024, 903 accidents and 437 deaths were linked to animal-vehicle collisions.
Between 2022 and August 2025, 331 animals were also killed in such incidents.
The meeting proposed a mission-mode approach linking identified National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) stretches with nearby Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) to strengthen fencing, cattle-control and sheltering measures through existing and new goshalas (cow shelters).
Key discussions included mapping accident-prone stretches, upgrading cattle shelters, and building partnerships with NGOs, supported by the Fisheries and Animal Resources Development (FARD) Department.
It was decided to install fencing along vulnerable stretches, introduce controlled cattle crossings, and promote awareness campaigns through branding and information systems to ensure public participation and accountability.
Padhee stressed that stray cattle are not just a civic inconvenience but a life-threatening hazard.
She said, “Odisha is committed to a coordinated, humane, and technology-driven model that integrates engineering measures such as fencing, signage, and cattle grids; enforcement through impounding and penalties; healthcare support via mobile veterinary units; and institutional mechanisms to make roads safer for both people and animals.”
