Gorakhpur: The Uttar Pradesh govt is developing a large Kanha Upvan in Gorakhpur to strengthen management of stray cattle. The facility, coming up at Tal Nador along the Gorakhpur–Varanasi highway, will be the biggest cow shelter in the district and will be able to accommodate around 2,000 cattle at a time.At present, Gorakhpur has 34 functional cow shelters, including the Kanha Upvan at Mahewa under the municipal corporation, with a combined capacity of about 5,000 cattle. Chief veterinary officer (CVO) Dharmendra Kumar Pandey said nearly 4,500 cattle are currently housed in these shelters, putting pressure on existing infrastructure and highlighting the need for a larger facility.The new Kanha Upvan is being built at a cost of Rs 28.94 crore by Uttar Pradesh Jal Nigam (Construction and Design Services), Unit-14. Construction began on April 24, 2025, and the project is scheduled for completion by October 23, 2026.The facility will include cow sheds, calf sheds, birthing sheds, an administrative building, fodder and feed storage units, and a veterinary dispensary within the campus for regular health check-ups and prompt treatment of sick or injured cattle. TNN
