Gujarat turns to AI, CCTV to identify stray cattle in Ahmedabad

In a move aimed at strengthening smart governance and improving urban management, the Gujarat government is turning to artificial intelligence (AI) and surveillance technology to tackle the persistent problem of stray cattle in cities. As part of this effort, a pilot project is being prepared for the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) area to enable real-time identification of stray cows and their owners using CCTV footage and AI-based analytics.

The initiative follows the establishment of the Artificial Intelligence Centre of Excellence in Gandhinagar under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel. The Centre is working to integrate advanced technologies into governance systems to enhance citizen services and address urban challenges more efficiently.

Stray cattle frequently cause traffic disruptions and accidents in Ahmedabad. At present, AMC teams rely on CCTV images and manually verify stray cattle using microchips and RFID tags, a process that is time-consuming and labour-intensive. To streamline this, the AI Centre of Excellence at GIFT City has tasked a private agency with developing a deep-learning-based AI model to automate cattle identification.

Under the proposed system, images captured by CCTV cameras across the city will be analysed in real time to identify stray cows and trace their owners from the municipal database. The agency is currently building the AI model and is expected to present it before a steering committee soon.

According to officials, the technology will use a cow’s nose as a unique biometric identifier, similar to a human fingerprint. The AI model will scan nose patterns along with facial features, eye details, and distinguishing marks to accurately identify an animal even in crowded public spaces.

At present, around 1.10 lakh cows in Ahmedabad are fitted with RFID tags and microchips, with their details maintained by the AMC. CCTV cameras installed at nearly 130 major junctions in the city will serve as the primary data source for the AI system.

If implemented successfully, the project is expected to significantly reduce the time required to identify stray cattle, improve traffic management, prevent cattle-related accidents, and create a data-driven monitoring mechanism. The initiative is also seen as a step towards Gujarat’s broader goal of holistic urban development through the use of AI and smart technologies.