NEW DELHI: Born out of the alleged collusion between illegal dairies and corrupt civic authorities, stray cattle, estimated at around 80,000 by the MCD, roam freely across Delhi’s streets. The persistent presence of these unmonitored bovines in the city’s overcrowded public spaces has led to traffic jams, property damage, and human injuries or death. Although the MCD periodically deploys cattle-catching trucks, these measures have done little to ease the chaos on the ground. To understand both policy and practice, Millennium Post spoke to Mayor Raja Iqbal Singh and NK Jain, who runs the Pinjrapol Gaushala in Kishan Ganj.
Jain observed that many individual farmers in Delhi own three to four cattle, milk them in the morning, and then release them to graze on the streets—effectively turning them into strays. They either roam the streets or get caught by the MCD and sent to gaushalas, which rely on either government funding or private donations, but frequently report delays in receiving payments. Notably, stray cattle encompass not only dairy cows, but also bulls and buffaloes; yet policy responses traditionally remain cow-centric. Jain pointed out that many farmers keep only the milking females and sell off the males—often to butchers. Gaushalas, according to Singh, accommodate both cows and bulls. Buffaloes, however, fall through the cracks. Singh said the MCD typically auctions them off—raising the possibility that they are either slaughtered or end up back on the streets. Earlier this year, the issue of stray cattle in Delhi gained political traction and was conflated with broader concerns around cow welfare. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta announced a ₹40 crore plan to establish a modern gaushala in southwest Delhi. Singh backed the proposal, insisting that expanding shelter capacity is the only viable solution: “We have no alternative besides opening a new gaushala,” he said. However, existing gaushalas are still struggling. In 2021, the Aam Aadmi Party accused the BJP-led municipal corporations of failing to clear outstanding dues. Now, shifting the blame to AAP, Singh claimed that 70 to 80 percent of the backlog has been cleared since he took office.
While the policy of expanding shelters may offer short-term relief by housing more stray cattle, it does little to address the root of the problem: unchecked cattle ownership. Jain stressed the need for stricter enforcement to prevent released cattle from returning to the streets. Without regulations to curb the breeding, sale, and abandonment of animals — particularly by dairy operators and farmers — shelters will continue to fill
up as fast as they’re built.
The final challenge lies in the effectiveness of enforcement. Mayor Singh acknowledged that while owners often protest when their cattle are caught, it is ultimately their responsibility for letting them stray. However, in many cases, the animals are returned once the owners pay a fine—undermining the deterrent effect. Contrary to earlier reports in 2024, the MCD currently has no plans to hire private firms for cattle-catching, raising further questions about its long-term strategy.