Chennai: Stray cattle resting in active traffic lanes along Poonamallee High Road in the Poonamallee municipality limits have emerged as a serious road safety concern with motorists forced to manoeuvre around the animals on an already congested stretch affected by Metro Rail construction.
Several cattle have been spotted sitting close to road dividers and Metro Rail pillars near Karayanchavadi opposite the cemetery, occupying portions of the carriageway and reducing the space available for moving vehicles.
The situation is particularly dangerous during peak hours, when cars, buses, two-wheelers and autorickshaws jostle for space on the busy arterial road.
Motorists are often forced to take sudden diversions or squeeze into narrower lanes to avoid hitting the animals. Any sudden movement by the cattle could result in collisions, particularly involving two-wheelers, or trigger accidents involving multiple vehicles.
The problem also poses a challenge to emergency services. Ambulances navigating the stretch have to negotiate around cattle resting close to the driving lanes, potentially affecting response time.
There are many hospitals on the stretch. The presence of animals near concrete barricades and Metro construction zones further reduce the available manoeuvring space.
Residents said the problem reflected the need for more effective measures to prevent cattle from straying onto major roads. They pointed out that the danger was not limited to motorists but also to pedestrians and construction workers operating along the stretch.
“Vehicles are already struggling to move through this stretch because of traffic congestion and Metro Rail construction. When cattle sit right in the middle of the road, motorists have very little room to manoeuvre. Two-wheeler-riders are particularly vulnerable because even a sudden movement by an animal can cause a serious accident. We have also seen ambulances having to navigate around them. The municipality should take immediate steps to remove the cattle and prevent them from returning to the road. It should also identify and take action against owners who allow their cattle to roam freely,” said P. Senthil Kumar, a local resident.
He urged the Poonamallee municipality to intensify cattle-catching operations, identify owners and enforce rules against allowing livestock to roam on public roads. They said sustained monitoring was necessary to prevent the stretch from becoming an accident-prone zone.
“Our staff will inspect the stretch and take steps to catch cattle found roaming on the road. We will also identify their owners and initiate action as per rules. Allowing cattle to roam freely on busy roads endangers both motorists and the animals themselves. We will intensify monitoring to ensure that the problem does not recur,” a municipality official said.
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