Patna, Nov. 16: The high court today directed Patna Municipal Corporation (PMC) to free the city streets of stray dogs and cattle for smooth traffic movement.

Issuing the directive, a division bench of Justice T. Meena Kumari and Justice Vikash Jain asked the PMC to submit a report giving details of the total number of illegal khatals (cowsheds) in the state capital within two weeks.

The court passed the directive hearing a PIL filed by Barun Kumar Sharma and some analogous petitions seeking removal of encroachments, causing heavy traffic congestion on busy roads.

Appearing for one of the petitioners, Sunil Kumar submitted that despite repeated orders of the court, illegal khatals continue to flourish in the state capital. They have made commuting on roads virtually impossible during the peak hours, he said.

Encroachments from the Station Road and Justice BN Ray Road have not been cleared, he added.

Kumar submitted that khatals had either not been removed completely or had come up once again on the same place. The counsel submitted before the court that the responsibility of removing the encroachments should be fixed on the station house officer of the area concerned.

PMC counsel Bishwa Bibhuti Singh submitted that the corporation had not given licence to any of the khatals being run in the city.