Marine Drive pigeons face eviction

MUMBAI: Marine Drive has gone the way of London’s Trafalgar Square and served an eviction notice on its pigeons. The BMC will no longer allow birds to be fed along the city’s most famous promenade.

While the move may annoy bird lovers, it will bring relief to residents of the area, many of whom suffer from asthma and allergies caused by pigeon droppings. In a three-day drive last week, civic officials fined 20 people for feeding pigeons.

“The government has spent a lot of money to beautify Marine Drive,” ward officer Vijay Balamwar said. “It is criminal to allow pigeon-feeding in the area.”

The BMC spends nearly Rs17 lakh a day to clear the area of 32 metric tonnes of garbage. Every morning, 127 labourers wash and clean Marine Drive. A security staff of 32, each drawing a salary of Rs10,000, helps maintain the area.

There are five spots on or near Marine Drive, which are frequented by pigeon lovers. But civic officials say the birds and their patrons should go to designated spots like Girgaum Chowpatty and the Kabutarkhana in Fort.

On Saturday, civic officials fined 13 people Rs550 each. On Sunday, three others were fined Rs1,100 each. Some 200 bills have been placed along the promenade to inform people. Now, even dog owners are supposed to clean up after their pets.

People who feed pigeons at the promenade are disappointed and say it will be difficult to break their routine. “Feeding them is like meditation,” said businessman Nitinbhai, 54, who has been performing this ritual for two years. “But, in a way, this is the fault of people who keep feeding pigeons all over instead of at one single place,” he admitted.

Local residents are all for the move. “Pigeon droppings cause lung problems,” said Chandresh Shah of the Marine Drive Residents’ Association. “People who come here just to feed pigeons don’t realise the trouble it causes those who suffer from asthma.”