NHAI Moves Supreme Court Over Stray Animals, Says Local Authorities Must Take Primary Responsibility

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has sought guidance from the Supreme Court regarding its May 19, 2026 ruling on stray animals on national highways. NHAI contends that local authorities, state governments and Highway Administrations bear the primary responsibility for removing, housing and caring for animals found on these roads.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta petitioned the Chief Justice of India for an urgent review of this matter. NHAI has asked the court to clarify Direction G of the May 19 judgment, which mandates NHAI to develop and implement a nationwide framework to manage stray cattle and other animals on National and National Expressways. The authority argues that its statutory duties primarily revolve around highway development, maintenance and traffic-related functions, as outlined in the National Highways Authority of India Act, 1988 and the Control of National Highways Act, 2002.

NHAI asserts that existing laws, including Section 37 of the 2002 Act, already provide a mechanism for dealing with animals obstructing highways, requiring their removal and detainment by Highway Administrations. The authority contends that creating and managing animal shelters across its 1.46 lakh km network would be prohibitively expensive and outside its budget.

NHAI proposes a cooperative approach with state governments, local bodies and animal welfare organizations to manage stray animals, while maintaining its role in clearing highways of strays. The case hinges on determining who should ultimately assume custody and care of animals after they are removed from highways.