NEW DELHI: With the stray cattle menace on the national highways turning ‘serious’ and causing fatal accidents, the ministry of road transport and highways (MoRTH) has decided to frame guidelines to prevent animal trespassing. The MoRTH has sought feedback and suggestion from the government agencies involved in road development projects — National Highway Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL), National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), public work departments of states, and also Indian Roads Congress — to draw up the framework for the safety of highways users who often are at risk due to free-roaming cattle.
The ministry has stepped up its efforts after directions from the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture. The panel also suggested placing barricades at possible entry points which facilitate access to wandering animals to highways.
“Urgent steps may be taken in coordination with concerned local authorities to tackle the problem of stray cattle and other animals trespassing National Highways (NH) posing tremendous security risk to the passengers, especially women, seniors and children, besides causing hindrance on the smooth flow of traffic on NHs.
Other possible solutions may be looked into to minimise such incidents across the entire NH network in the country so as to make NH travel safer and free-flowing for all passengers,” the Parliamentary Standing Committee recommended in its 317th report. Road accidents and fatalities are a major concern in India. On occasions, the different authorities and courts across states have been issuing directions to prepare an action plan to prevent fatalities on roads.