Cattle owners had previously noted that the animals needed to be walked at least twice a day and could not be kept in a shelter through the day.
| Photo Credit: B. VELANKANNI RAJ
The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) is yet to issue any licences to cattle owners, although plans to establish a system was initiated in 2024.
Thameem, an autorickshaw driver living in Triplicane, said the problem of stray cattle, which had eased a few months ago, had flared up recently. “A GCC official does seize some stray cattle and fines the owner, but the animals are often returned the very next day,” he said. “There must be a licensing system for cattle, just as there is for pet dogs,” Mr. Thameem added.
Another autorickshaw driver observed that cows tied to fences on roadsides on narrower stretches — such as Giriyappa Street near T. Nagar and the Mathur area near Manali — pose a menace, especially as these animals may move into traffic accidentally during peak hours, potentially leading to hazardous situations. “Furthermore, pedestrians, especially elderly persons, cannot safely use such roads,” he said. Even at the Koyambedu market, the menace of wandering buffaloes continues till date, according to him.
He added that the menace of buffaloes at the market area had also not diminished. In July 2024, GCC stated that it had processed nearly 600 applications to register cattle, including legacy applications dating up to 1997, but no licences were issued then. During the civic body’s budget presentation for the 2024-25 financial year on February 21, Mayor R. Priya announced that the civic body was planning to introduce a new scheme for the registration of private cow-sheds across the city.
A senior official in the Public Health Department said that no cattle owners had been issued licences so far, as the plan was currently on hold. However, the GCC has set up shelters in the Tiruvottiyur, Madhavaram, and Royapuram zones to curb the stray cattle problem. “A total of 17 shelters are planned, and the major part of the remaining 14 shelters will be completed by the end of December,” he said.
Cattle owners had previously noted that the animals needed to be walked at least twice a day and could not be kept in a shelter through the day. In response, the official said Chennai was now heavily urbanised, with many residential areas. “There is a lack of space for this, which is an issue. But the safety of the public comes first, so owners must be present with the animals at all times if they are out of a shelter,” he added.
Published – December 02, 2025 12:22 am IST
