NEW DELHI: The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) on Tuesday announced a pilot project to set up “cattle shelters” along highways to prevent stray cattle related accidents. The shelters will be built in areas ranging from 0.2 to 2.3 hectares and be strategically located to serve as safe spaces for these animals, minimising their presence on NHs.
To begin with, one such shelter will be set up along the Kharkhoda bypass in Haryana on the UP- Haryana border to the NH-334B’s Rohna section. Similarly, shelters will be constructed along the NH-148B’s Bhiwani-Hansi section at Hansi Bypass, the Kiratpur–Ner Chowk section of NH-21 in Haryana, and the Dangiyawas to Jajiwal section of the Jodhpur Ring Road on the NH-112 in Rajasthan.
The NHAI said an MoU has been signed with the existing highway developer of these stretches for setting up the shelters and that the land will be provided by the highways authority. “The concessionaire will also maintain these shelters by providing first aid, adequate fodder, water, and caretakers throughout the concession (contract) period, ensuring the well-being of the animals,” the NHAI said.
The developer under its CSR initiative will deploy cattle ambulances to transport and treat injured stray animals and set up first-aid centres and hospitals to cater 50 km on each side for timely medical care of these animals.
NHAI chairman Santosh Kumar Yadav said, “By addressing the challenges posed by stray cattle/ animals on the NHs, this unique initiative is another step that furthers NHAI’s commitment to not only to create safer NHs for commuters by enhancing road safety, but also fulfils a humane requirement of taking care of stray cattle/animals.”
The NHAI has been facing challenges posed by stray cattle and other animal movement on NHs which pose risks to road users.
It said though several steps for removal of cattle from NHs were taken in the past, they could not get anticipated success due to several issues having social and sensitive angles, which included problems pertaining to unknown ownership and transportation of cattle, first aid treatment during transportation of any injured animals, feeding the cattle till identification of owner, or handing them over to state govt agencies.