The Prayagraj Municipal Corporation (PMC) has proposed a ban on walking pets inside city parks, citing concerns over cleanliness and public safety. The key sites include Shaheed Chandra Shekhar Azad Park,
Indian Institute of Information Technology-Allahabad (IIIT-A) and Motilal Nehru National Institute of Technology (MNNIT) campuses.
Visitors will also be barred from bringing their pets to the park for walks, officials said on Thursday.
Stray dogs already present in these areas will not be removed immediately. Security personnel will prevent new animals from entering while ensuring that existing dogs are not harmed.
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Dr Vijay Amritra, livestock officer, PMC, said, “A strict ban on people taking their dogs and cats to the park will be imposed from next month. Though there is no provision yet for a shelter home, once four new zones are created, land will be identified and a shelter will be built. Until then, dogs already inside these premises will not be removed.”
Municipal officials said the corporation will vaccinate only the dogs currently residing in the park and the nearby educational institutions. However, the PMC has yet to build a single shelter home, which is required before any relocation can take place.
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Dr Amritraj said that discussions are underway among the PMC, park authorities and technical institutions. Further meetings with their administrations are planned to finalise the plan.
The PMC is currently conducting a citywide census of dogs, including those in public areas. Dr. Amritraj stated that the survey is expected to be completed within a month, after which authorities will have a clear count of stray dogs in public spaces. Until the shelter home is ready, officials will continue to oversee dog populations in the designated areas.
