NHAI Moves Supreme Court Against Direction To Construct Shelter Homes For Stray Cattle

The Supreme Court has agreed to constitute a special bench to hear a plea filed by the National Highways Authority of India seeking modification of a direction issued by the Supreme Court in the suo motu case concerning stray dogs, asking it to construct shelters for stray cattle across the country.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice V Mohana was informed by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Authority, that a special bench headed by Justice Vikram Nath had asked it to set up shelters, which will have to constructed by local authorities.

"This is in the stray dogs case which is being heard by a different bench..they had issued a direction to the NHAI to construct shelter homes for stray cattle...this cannot be done by us pan india..we will need this to be done by the local administration..," SG Mehta told the bench.

SG Mehta said the NHAI had been directed to establish shelter homes for stray cattle across the country, which, according to the Authority, would involve an expenditure of approximately Rs 7,000 crore.

The proceedings form part of the Supreme Court’s continuing consideration of measures concerning stray dogs and cattle and the obligations of various government authorities. The Court has previously issued directions concerning the creation of infrastructure for the management and sheltering of stray animals.

In May 2026 Supreme Court had directed authorities to euthanize rabid and dangerous dogs to curb the threat to human life, in accordance with the statutory protocols. Court has also refused to modify its earlier directions to the authorities to remove stray dogs from the premises of educational institutions, bus stands, railway stations, sports complexes, hospitals, etc.

In July last year, the top court had taken suo-moto cognizance of a very disturbing and alarming Newspaper cutting reported by the `Times of India’ in its Delhi edition titled “City Hounded By Strays, Kids Pay Price”. "Everyday, hundreds of dog bites are being reported in the city and the areas on the outskirts, leading to rabies and ultimately young infants, children and aged are falling prey to this dreadful disease. We are shocked to know that on an average 20,000 cases of dog bites are recorded in the country and out of which 2000 incidents happen in Delhi every day", the bench had noted.

As per the Newspaper report amidst the rising threat of stray dog in the national capital, a 6 year old girl by name Chavi Sharma fell prey to multiple dog bites leaving deep wounds on her left leg, arm and palm. Although the inhabitants of the locality complained for several times to the authorities concerned, yet none paid heed to the complaints of the people residing in the said locality. Also, a four year old boy Abhishek Rai was attacked by a pack of stray dogs on 23-7-2025 in Delhi’s Alipur area of Narela when the child was returning from his Anganwadi School. The dogs pounced at his face repeatedly injuring him until few bystanders rushed to his rescue.

Bench: CJI Kant, Justice Bagchi and Justice Mohana

Mentioning Date: September 21, 2026