Pimpri Chinchwad: It's a veritable zoo on the Pune Mumbai expressway, and it's not just cattle roaming freely on the s-low lane, alarming motorists whose vehicles are zipping by at 120 kilometres an hour. There is a regular procession of livestock -- buffaloes, cows and goats on the expressway and not to forget, stray dogs too. Bovine 'traffic' cruises through the highway in an orderly fashion, in the middle of the lane. As it is, there are numerous accidents on the highway and now, with livestock passing through, looking for grazing spots, the highway has become scarier.
Recently, an unknown vehicle ran over a leopard, while two years ago, after a farmer's buffaloes strayed onto the highway, in search of greener pastures, police had to slap charges under section 366 of the Indian Penal Code (act of endangering life or personal safety of others). Even after this incident, farmers continue to be blissfully ignorant of their animals' 'trespasses'. Authorities too have failed to put up meshes or barriers to prevent animals from wandering into the highway.
