Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Saturday evening covered the Dadar Kabutarkhana with large plastic sheets following a Bombay High Court directive banning pigeon feeding at designated spots across Mumbai. The action, aimed at curbing public health hazards linked to bird droppings, was the civic body’s second attempt in two days to implement the court-mandated restrictions.
The enforcement began around 7 pm, with civic teams erecting bamboo scaffolding around the heritage structure before draping it with plastic sheets. The decision follows mounting concern over the spread of infections, attributed to the congregation of pigeons at feeding hotspots. State authorities had instructed municipal bodies on July 4 to act decisively, citing the birds’ droppings as a carrier of disease-causing pathogens, especially in densely populated neighbourhoods. Saturday’s action was a follow-up to a failed attempt the previous night when BMC workers arrived post 11 pm but were met with resistance from community members. According to officials from the civic ward office, no prior notice was issued, prompting emotional backlash from locals and religious trusts associated with the area. Amid the resulting commotion, police were forced to intervene and disperse the crowd.
The trusts managing the premises later agreed to partial compliance, allowing civic teams to return under police supervision on Saturday. To prevent harm to the birds left without food and shelter, the religious trust associated with a nearby Jain temple appointed five temporary guards to ensure pigeons did not wander onto roads, where several had reportedly been injured or killed by passing vehicles. Public opposition to the ban continues, with local groups framing the act of feeding pigeons as an expression of cultural compassion and religious merit. Animal welfare supporters have also challenged the restrictions in court, calling the complete ban inhumane.
Still, officials insist the civic intervention is justified. “The court has granted BMC authority to act decisively to prevent further health risks. The site will remain covered to deter further feeding,” said a senior civic officer. Meanwhile, the civic body fined at least six individuals ₹500 each for defying the ban on Saturday, taking the total number of penalised cases at this site to 16 since mid-July. Additionally, Mahim Police registered a criminal offence against unidentified persons for feeding pigeons at another kabutarkhana near LJ Road, citing public nuisance and violation of health safety laws under the new Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
While the situation continues to spark civic-religious friction, urban health experts maintain that overcrowded feeding areas pose real threats to both avian and human populations. As cities push towards sustainable living, balancing tradition with urban hygiene remains an increasingly complex challenge in high-density metros like Mumbai.
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