Mumbai's love-hate relationship with pigeons: Why thousands are taking to the streets after ban on 'kabutarkhanas'

India's financial capital Mumbai has had a love-hate relationship with pigeons for decades. The avian species are synonymous with the city's landscape and are found fluttering around iconic railway stations, the Gateway of India and flocking in feeding areas known as 'kabutarkhanas'.

These spots have now been covered with tarpaulin sheets following a July 31 Bombay High Court order banning public feeding of pigeons. This has led to a fresh controversy, protests and even an FIR, all within a week of the order being passed.

The Bombay HC directed Mumbai's civic body, BMC to initiate a criminal proceeding on those found feeding pigeons and defying the order.


The court cited serious public health hazards, including respiratory infections, and damage to heritage sites due to their droppings, while passing its order. It has also come amid rising pigeon population in the city.

However, the order has not pleased animal lover's and the city's powerful Gujarati and Jain communities as they consider feeding pigeons as auspicious, leading way to pigeon politics.

Mumbai's love for pigeons

The city's love for feeding pigeons is believed to have begun by Gujarati and Jain businessmen, which led to the setting up of kabutarkhanas across major hotspots in Mumbai. These communities considered it to be an act piety and believed it would bring blessings from ancestors.

In Jainism, feeding the birds is one of the central tenets and for decades many Jain families have fed pigeons near temples or trust-run feeding spots.

However, over 50 such spots have been closed in the last month, including the iconic Dadar kabutarkhana where the BMC installed a bamboo structure to prevent the feeding of pigeons.

Massive protests

This has started massive protest by the Jain community. On Sunday, over thousands of activists, animal lovers joined Jain spiritual leaders to march from Colaba Jain Mandir to Gateway of India.

Jain monk Nareshchandra Ji Maharaj also announced fast-unto-death unless feeding pigeons becomes legal again. He told TOI that hundreds of pigeons have died of starvation in the last few days.

A ban was always in place but it was never legally enforced as no political party wanted to upset the influential Gujarati community and the Jains, who form a large part of the city's population.

However, on August 3,the first criminal case was registered by the Mumbai police for feeding the birds.

The politics of pigeons

The issue has now taken a political turn, with Maharashtra minister and BJP MLA Mangal Prabhat Lodha writing a letter to the commissioner of Mumbai, expressing concern over the demolition of kabutarkhanas.

Lodha, in his letter, questioned if feeding pigeons were solely responsible for health issues and sought the formation of a court-monitored panel to suggest sustainable solutions.

"Following the decision to restrict pigeon feeding, there have also been numerous instances of pigeons suffering from starvation. This has resulted in pigeons dying on the roads, thereby creating another public health hazard," Lodha pointed out.

Health hazards and other concerns

In a large urban setting like Mumbai, pigeons are dependent on the food given by people rather than natural sources. A PETA study revealed that more these birds feed, the more they reproduce. While feeding might seem to be harmless, what falls is its health concerns and ecological impact.

Several studies have found that pigeon droppings and feathers carry harmful pathogens, including viruses, that can cause long-term respiratory issues, like hypersensitivity pneumonitis. This lung disease is caused by prolonged exposure to fungal spores found in dried pigeon droppings, which is seen in congested areas.

Another disease linked with pigeons is cryptococcosis, an infection that can cause neurological issues.

The effects are beyond health concerns. Mumbaikars have complained of the nuisance that pigeons amke create at bus stops and the stench their droppings leave in stretches near feeding spots.

The highly acidic droppings have also caused damage to historical landmarks and public infrastructure like the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj terminus. The excreta has also been found to corrode stone facades of protected monuments, leading to added maintenance costs.

A BMC engineer died a few years after allegedly being struck by a pigeon while riding his bike.