NHAI to remove stray animals from highways

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has introduced a comprehensive plan to prevent stray animals from crossing national highways and expressways, with the goal of reducing accidents and fatalities caused by animal intrusions. This initiative follows a 2025 Supreme Court directive that tasked the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) with developing a structured approach to safely remove stray animals from these roads.

Under the new Standard Operating Procedures (SOP), the management of stray or abandoned animals falls under state jurisdiction, while national highways remain the responsibility of the central government and NHAI. This arrangement ensures a clear and distinct division of responsibilities between national highway agencies and state or local authorities.

National highway agencies will take charge of removing stray cattle and other animals from highways and transporting them to designated shelters, pounds, or gaushalas as established by the state government. State, district, or local administrations will be responsible for identifying, establishing, and maintaining these facilities.

Furthermore, national highway or central agencies will identify specific areas on highways and expressways where stray animals tend to gather, mark these locations on the PM Gati Shakti platform, and coordinate the transportation of animals to appropriate shelters. State administrations will also handle cattle-pound records, trace animal owners, and enforce fees, fines, and penalties under relevant cattle-trespass legislation.

To ensure effective monitoring, national highway agencies will carry out 24/7 surveillance using route patrol vehicles on designated stretches and advanced traffic management systems, where available.