The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) on Monday (September 21, 2026) told the Chief Justice of India that it cannot herd stray cattle and animals off public thoroughfares and find them shelter homes.
Mr. The apex court had directed that all such animals ought to be relocated to suitable shelters, gaushalas, or cattle pounds, where they are to be provided adequate food, water, and veterinary care. It had further instructed the authorities to establish dedicated highway patrol units to maintain continuous surveillance. “The Chief Secretaries of all States and Union Territories, together with the Chairperson, National Highways Authority of India, shall ensure strict enforcement of these directions through appropriate administrative orders and field-level monitoring.
Mehta said the liability over the strays was laid at the NHAI’s door by the Supreme Court in an order passed in November last year, directing States and Union Territories to “forthwith” remove stray dogs from the premises of educational institutions, hospitals, sports complexes, bus stands and depots, and railway stations, and relocate them “to a designated shelter” after due sterilisation and vaccination in accordance with the Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules, 2023, framed under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960. These patrols, the court had said, must function around the clock and display helpline numbers prominently along highways to enable commuters to promptly report the presence of stray animals or accidents caused by them.
They shall hold the concerned officers personally accountable for lapses or recurring incidents in their respective jurisdictions,” the Bench had ordered in November last year.
