India to pilot AI system to address stray cattle issue in Gujarat

The Government of Gujarat is expanding the use of artificial intelligence in public administration as part of its smart governance strategy. A new pilot project is being prepared in Ahmedabad to tackle the long-standing problem of stray cattle in urban areas. This is reported by IANS, a partner of TV BRICS.

The initiative follows the establishment of an Artificial Intelligence Centre of Excellence in Gandhinagar and is aimed at improving the identification of stray cows and their owners while reducing time and labour costs.

Stray cattle on city roads often cause traffic disruptions and accidents. Currently, municipal teams analyse CCTV footage and manually identify animals using microchips and RFID tags – small electronic identifiers that store data and can be read remotely via radio signals.

To improve efficiency, a specialised AI model based on computer vision and deep learning is being developed in GIFT City, Gandhinagar. The system will integrate live CCTV feeds to identify stray cows in real time and match them with existing databases using unique physical features, including facial characteristics and nose patterns.

Around 110,000 cows in Ahmedabad are already fitted with RFID tags and microchips, and CCTV cameras operate at nearly 130 intersections across the city. If the pilot proves effective, the project is expected to enhance road safety, ease traffic management and strengthen data-driven urban governance in Gujarat.

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