mumbai-bans-pigeon-feeding

A Bombay High Court order directing the closure of Mumbai’s traditional kabutarkhanas has triggered a storm of controversy, street protests and even the city’s first criminal case for feeding pigeons.

 

For decades, pigeons have been an inseparable part of Mumbai’s streetscape — from railway stations and marketplaces to the iconic Gateway of India. These birds have long flocked in large numbers around designated feeding spots known as kabutarkhanas.

 

However, after the High Court’s recent directive, many of these sites now stand covered with tarpaulin sheets, as officials clamp down on public feeding.

 

At the centre of the row is a July 31 order from the Bombay High Court instructing the Mumbai civic body (BMC) to strictly enforce criminal proceedings against those defying the ban on feeding pigeons at public places and heritage sites.

 

In its order, the court flagged serious public health hazards, including respiratory illnesses, and cited damage to heritage sites caused by pigeon droppings. The ruling comes amid a surge in the city’s pigeon population, which residents say has become increasingly unmanageable.

 

However, the move has drawn strong opposition from animal welfare groups and members of Mumbai’s influential Gujarati and Jain communities, who regard pigeon feeding as auspicious and deeply rooted in their spiritual traditions.

 

Mumbai’s long affair with kabutarkhanas

 

The tradition of feeding pigeons in Mumbai is said to have been popularised by Gujarati and Jain businessmen, who helped set up dedicated feeding zones across the city.

 

Many Jains believe feeding pigeons earns religious merit and blessings from ancestors. For decades, it has been a common sight to see devotees scattering grain near temples and trust-managed feeding areas.

 

Over the past month, civic authorities have shut down more than 50 kabutarkhanas. 

 

One of the most prominent, the Dadar kabutarkhana, recently saw BMC workers erect a bamboo barricade to stop people from feeding pigeons there. The move sparked protests led by members of the Jain community and animal rights activists.

 

Protests and the first criminal case

 

On Sunday, over a thousand protesters — including activists and Jain spiritual leaders — marched from Colaba to the Gateway of India, demanding that the ban be rolled back.

 

Jain monk Nareshchandra Ji Maharaj even threatened to begin a fast-unto-death if feeding was not allowed to resume. Protesters claimed that hundreds of pigeons have already starved to death since the crackdown began.

 

Although a ban on feeding pigeons in public has existed for years, it was rarely enforced due to the political sensitivity of antagonising Mumbai’s influential Jain and Gujarati communities.

 

But on August 3, Mumbai Police filed the city’s first-ever criminal case against an individual for feeding pigeons in a public place.

 

Pigeon politics intensifies

 

The issue has now taken a political turn, with Maharashtra minister and BJP MLA Mangal Prabhat Lodha writing to the municipal commissioner to express concern over the dismantling of kabutarkhanas.

 

Lodha questioned whether feeding alone was the root cause of the health hazards and called for a court-monitored committee to suggest long-term, sustainable solutions.

 

He pointed out that restricting feeding has led to pigeons starving and dying on the streets, creating new hygiene concerns. Lodha argued this could ironically worsen the same public health risks that the ban aims to address.

 

The controversy also echoed in the Maharashtra legislative council last month after a member cited a family death caused by a lung disease linked to exposure to pigeon droppings.

 

Medical experts warn that dried droppings harbour fungal spores, which can trigger respiratory conditions, including cryptococcosis, which can also affect the nervous system.

 

Beyond health issues, residents have long complained about the mess pigeons create at bus stops, public squares and near monuments.

 

Their acidic droppings have been found to corrode the stonework of protected heritage sites such as the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, adding to the city’s mounting conservation costs.

 

Years ago, a BMC engineer was reportedly thrown off his bike after being struck by a pigeon mid-ride, highlighting how deep-rooted the city’s complicated relationship with the birds has become.

 

As Mumbai’s love-hate affair with pigeons continues, the coming weeks may determine whether the city’s iconic kabutarkhanas become history or find a way to coexist with modern urban life and public health imperatives.

HEALTH HAZARDS AND ECOLOGICAL CONCERNS

 

Public health risk was the main reason cited by the Bombay High Court in its recent order cracking down on the practice of feeding pigeons in Mumbai.

 

In a sprawling metropolis like Mumbai, pigeons survive largely on food provided by residents rather than natural sources. A study by PETA has found that the more these birds are fed, the more they reproduce.

 

While feeding pigeons may appear harmless, experts warn that its consequences for public health and the city’s ecology are far from benign.

 

Extensive research has shown that pigeon droppings and feathers can carry harmful pathogens, including viruses that may cause serious long-term respiratory conditions such as hypersensitivity pneumonitis.

 

This lung disease is often caused by prolonged exposure to fungal spores present in dried pigeon droppings, a risk that is heightened in densely populated neighbourhoods. Another disease linked with pigeons is cryptococcosis, an infection that can lead to neurological complications.

 

The nuisance is not limited to health hazards alone. For years, Mumbai residents have raised complaints about the mess pigeons create at bus stops and the foul stench left by droppings around popular feeding spots.

 

A few years ago, a BMC engineer lost his life after being thrown off his motorcycle, reportedly after being struck by a pigeon.

 

Beyond public safety, the acidic nature of pigeon droppings is known to corrode public infrastructure and damage heritage structures.

 

The Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus is one example where pigeon excreta has accelerated wear and tear on the iconic station’s stone façade, adding to maintenance costs.