Cows roaming or lounging on city roads are not an uncommon sight. However, with the monsoon already lashing Nagpur, this seemingly routine problem can turn dangerous for commuters, especially those travelling on two-wheelers and four-wheelers. Despite the growing risk, the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) has neither launched a special drive nor taken effective action to tackle the issue. The sight is particularly common in places like Ram Nagar Square, Walker’s Street, Ramgiri, and Telankhedi garden area, which is thick with vegetation. Cow rearers in the area often allow cattle to roam freely so they can graze on the surrounding greenery. The bovines thus stay in the area from morning to evening, often lounging on the road which forces people to drive around them. Moreover, cows naturally tend to prefer dry places to sit, so they often appear on the roads during monsoons as their sheds may get wet, muddy, and uncomfortable if not maintained properly.

 

This proves to be a problem in monsoon, as during heavy rains, people may skid while avoiding crashing into these animals and sustain injuries. Alternatively, if someone is unsuccessful in preventing the crash, it may injure both the animal and the rider, especially if colliding with a two-wheeler. In traffic-dense areas like Ram Nagar, slippery roads and low visibility caused by the monsoon may lead to multiple vehicles colliding or stray cattle injured. The roads surrounding Telankhedi garden are not particularly crowded, so it may result in help not reaching in a timely manner. Moreover, another problem with the Telankhedi Garden area is minimal streetlight. “Nearly the entire road from Ahinsa Square to the Telankhedi Garden area and surrounding roads have streetlights that are partially hidden due to trees, because of which minimal light falls on the road.

 

The monsoon may also trigger power-cuts, submerging the entire area in the dark. Moreover the roads are also uneven, partially cemented, and riddled with potholes, which adds to the growing list of concerns,” said Ananya Paunikar, a nearby resident, adding that despite multiple complaints over multiple years to the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) and the Public Works Depatment (PWD), little to no action has been taken, and in fact, the situation has worsened.