Patna Municipal Corporation has good news for commuters as well as animal lovers.

Mayor Afzal Imam on Tuesday announced the setting up of Kanji house, short-stay homes for stray animals, in all of Patna's four circles, after years of indecisiveness over cows, donkeys and buffalos loitering on the roads and obstructing traffic.

The mayor was chairing the standing committee meeting of the corporation.

Imam said: "Motorists find it difficult to negotiate the city traffic because of the free run of stray animals on busy thoroughfares. So we have decided to set up Kanji house in all four circles - New Capital, Bankipore, Kankerbagh and Patna City.

"In the New Capital circle, we have earmarked a plot to open the Kanji house near Budhha Colony police station. Around 50 animals can be kept at each home."

He added: "A veterinarian will be engaged at every Kanji house to look after the animals. PMC will form separate teams to capture stray animals and vehicles will be provided to the teams to conduct the drive."

He said those who come to claim the ownership of the stray animals would have to pay a fine.

Residents appreciated the PMC move.

Avinash Singh (42), a Patel Nagar resident, said: "Stray animals create a lot of traffic mess. At night, the situation worsens because of barking dogs chasing motorists. It is good that PMC has finally taken note of the problem."

During the standing committee meeting, the mayor also claimed that de-silting of drains in various areas would be completed before monsoon sets in. "Only a little de-siltation-related work is left in all the circles," he said.

It was also decided in the meeting that sanitation inspectors would be asked to evict encroachers from PMC plots and new sanitation-related instruments would be bought.

"At present, the corporation is working with hired sanitation-related equipment. We have decided in today's meeting to buy our own equipment," said Imam.

The PMC also decided to remove retired employees from their quarters .

Vishal Anand, the executive officer of New Capital circle, who was present in the meeting, said: "In the next standing committee meeting, we would discuss the rules of the upcoming advertisement policy. The existing policy does not give us much scope for collecting revenue through advertisements, as we can charge for only a few advertisements. The new policy would widen the revenue collection scope."