Buffaloes lounging on R K Mutt Road or cows strolling through Triplicane and Koyambedu have become everyday sights in Chennai. But behind this seemingly quaint image is a growing public safety hazard. Stray cattle are causing traffic snarls and deadly accidents, with Tamil Nadu logging 499 animal-related road mishaps in 2023—nearly half proving fatal.
Yet, despite this, cattle-catching efforts have plummeted. Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) data shows a 74% drop in cattle impoundment: from 7,199 in 2022 to just 1,008 in the first half of 2025. Only five cattle a day are being caught now, down from 19.
The reasons? Aging vehicles, limited manpower, and inadequate infrastructure. The city has 15 cattle-catching vehicles, but seven are over 10 years old and break down frequently. Each can hold just one cow and must travel all the way to Pudupet—the only functioning depot with an 80-head capacity.
Planned new shelters in Sholinganallur and Perungudi are stuck in limbo due to bureaucracy and budget constraints. The GCC employs just 75 cattle catchers for an estimated 20,000-strong stray population, with wages under ₹400/day—often delayed.
Owners, lacking proper sheds, release cattle post-milking, coordinating via WhatsApp to dodge impoundment. Though they face a ₹10,000 fine (plus ₹1,000/day after), cattle are returned if claimed quickly. NGOs receive the unclaimed ones.
Cattle now even use riverbanks as sheds, particularly along the Cooum in Koyambedu, despite GCC norms mandating 36 sq ft per cow. As enforcement falters, Chennai’s roads have become unofficial pastures.