HYDERABAD:
With Eidul Azha approaching, the buying and selling of sacrificial animals has begun in full swing across the city, but delays in setting up official cattle markets have pushed traders to the roadsides, turning major streets and intersections into makeshift livestock bazaars.
As a result, traffic flow has been seriously disrupted, while piles of garbage and animal remains have further worsened sanitary conditions in several parts of the city.
With a week left for Eid, rising prices have already prompted citizens to start buying sacrificial animals. Many residents of Hyderabad travel to interior Sindh districts in search of cattle, while others continue to search locally according to their budget and preferences.
But instead of designated facilities, cattle traders have set up informal markets along highways, intersections and neighborhood streets. Areas including Godh Chowk, Latifabad Unit 8 Chowk, Unit 7 Central Road, Unit 10, Pakka Qila Chowk, Gado Chowk, several parts of Qasimabad, Phuleli, Paretabad, Sakhi Pir Chowk and Liaquat Colony have all reportedly been turned into temporary livestock selling points.
Every evening, traders gather with goats and other animals, tie them along roadsides and continue selling directly on the street. Commuters are often forced to stop their vehicles in the middle of the road to inquire about fares, further exacerbating traffic congestion across the city.
The presence of animals on the roads, along with fodder waste and manure, has significantly contributed to growing piles of garbage, creating serious difficulties for residents in commuting and daily movement.
According to sources, an official cattle market is held every Wednesday at Hatri Bypass under UC Hatri where large and small animals are usually sold. However, the contract for this year’s Eid cattle market has not yet been awarded. Similarly, official markets under Hyderabad Municipal Corporation and Cantonment Board have also been delayed.
In the absence of regulated facilities, traders continue to operate on the streets, while police at local stations are said to be unable to intervene effectively.
Meanwhile, in areas such as Latifabad Unit 10 and Phuleli, private cattle farms and enclosures are also seeing large-scale movement of animals brought from interior Sindh as well as cities including Multan, Bahawalpur and Gujranwala for sale.
Residents continue to move through crowded roads late into the night in search of suitable sacrificial animals as Hyderabad’s makeshift roadside markets become more congested by the day.
