NHAI to Remove Stray Animals from National Highways Under New Safety Rules.

New SOPs create a coordinated system for preventing animal incursions and reducing road accidents on highways.

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and other national highway agencies will now be responsible for removing stray cattle and other animals from national highways and expressways and transporting them to designated shelters. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has introduced new Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to address the recurring presence of stray animals on highway carriageways, which has been identified as a serious road-safety concern. The framework follows a 2025 Supreme Court directive seeking a structured mechanism for safely removing stray animals from highways. Under the new system, state governments will designate shelters, pounds and gaushalas, while state, district and local authorities will establish and maintain these facilities. Highway agencies will identify stretches frequently affected by stray animals and arrange their removal and transportation. The identified locations will also be marked on the PM Gati Shakti platform. The SOPs aim to clearly divide responsibilities between central highway agencies and state or local authorities.