Hry to be freed of stray cattle menace by next Republic Day: official

Roads in Haryana will be free of the stray cattle menace as well as potholes by the next Republic Day, claimed a senior official Wednesday.

"Haryana will be made stray cattle-free by January 26 next year," said Chief Minister M L Khattar's Additional Principal Secretary Rakesh Gupta in an official statement.

Gupta also said the roads in the state will be made "pothole-free by January 2019".

Strict action would be taken against those, whose cattle are found roaming on roads and fines would be imposed on them, said Gupta after a video-conference with various senior officials, including deputy commissioners and superintendents of police.

The video-conference was held to review the progress of ongoing developmental works and schemes, the statement added.

Gupta said an action plan would be prepared keeping in view the performance of those districts which are doing well in making their areas free of stray cattle.

He directed the officers to ensure that roads were properly painted to ensure visibility and safe traffic movement.

The facility of e-challan and e-payment for traffic rule violations would be initiated in 12 selected districts and after successful experimentation, the facility would be implemented in the remaining 10 districts, he said.

Deputy commissioners of the traffic police would be the nodal officers for the scheme, the statement said.

Reviewing the Harpath App, launched a year ago by the chief minister for mapping roads of the state, Gupta said 22,000 complaints were received so far through the App.

The maximum complaints, over 10,000, pertain to urban local bodies, he said adding the officers concerned were directed to resolve them as soon as possible.