Noida road turned cowshed for two months, to be cleared now

For the last two months, more than 850 cows have been kept on a road in Sector 135 after the Yamuna inundated the Gauvansh Ashray (cowshed), situated in the river’s floodplain, in Nagli Wazidpur. On the orders of a Noida authority official, one lane of the road was barricaded from both sides and the cows were placed inside, forcing commuters going towards Aryavarta Marg to drive on the wrong side of the road. While the flood waters receded on July 30, the cows remained on the road due to unfinished work and mud in the Gauvansh Ashray, said a Noida authority official.

On July 13, Yamuna breached the danger mark in Noida, flowing at the 200.75-metre level, inundating several villages on floodplain areas containing hundreds of cowsheds.

The floods affected over 40 villages in the district, and the district administration and the police rescued over 1,000 cattle.

A Gauvansh Ashray worker who declined to be identified said, “The cows were first relocated to a nearby park in Nagli Wazidpur village in Sector 135, after the Yamuna flooded the Ashray and damaged the entire structure.”

However, after 15 days, a Noida authority official visited the scene and discovered that the herd were living in dirt and mud and gave directions to relocate the cattle to a clean area.

On the official’s orders, the Sector 135 three-lane road was blocked from both sides by Noida authority barricades, and the cows have been living on the road since then.

Many people who frequently pass through the area said that the cows were not properly fed, several showed signs of starvation and malnutrition, and four to five cows also became ill due to a lack of care.

The Gauvansh Ashray worker anonymously cited above said that they have been writing letters to the Noida authority for the past month seeking permission and vehicles to shift the cows back to the Ashray. “But the authority refused permission to do so, citing monsoon and incomplete work in the Gauvansh Ashray,” said the worker, who has been employed at the Ashray for the past four years.

The Gauvansh Ashray has employed 32 workers, including a supervisor, to care for the cows. According to the Ashray worker, a team of veterinary doctors visits every day to check on the cows’ health. The Ashray workers said they were not able to properly care for the cows because they are kept on the road within barricades.

After a month of letters and requests, the Noida authority finally granted permission on Sunday to return those cows to the shelter and provided three trucks to cowshed workers. “The authority gave us the green light and three trucks to move the cows when we showed them partially completed work with photographs,” said the worker.

Since Monday morning, more than 100 cows have been shifted.

“We have started shifting the cows and will shift them within a week. The cows were on the road due to unfinished work and mud in the Gauvansh Ashray,” said Noida authority deputy general manager SP Singh.

A team from the Noida authority also visited the shelter to inspect the ongoing work. A JCB machine and motor will be used to remove the stored water and mud, said officials familiar with the matter.

Aman Bhargava, a resident of Jaypee Wishtow in Sector 128, said he had been forced to drive in the wrong lane due to the barricades. “The Noida authority blocked the road around two months ago, and people are driving in the wrong lane, which poses a danger and increases the chances of accidents.”