BMC engineer’s freak accident clouds Mumbai kabutar khanas’ existence

Home to lakhs of pigeons,Mumbai’s 200-odd kabutar khanas’ existence has been threatened following the death of a BMC engineer,Eknath Jondhale. The engineer was reportedly thrown off his motorcycle after a pigeon hit him near the kabutar khana at Grant Road on June 30. In addition to this,there has been growing awareness about the health hazards pigeons pose in a densely populated city like Mumbai.

Pigeons are known to cause respiratory problems resulting from allergic reactions. In 2009,residents of Hingawala Lane in Ghatkopar (E) demanded that pigeons on the rooftop of Jain Upashtraya,a monastery,be removed after respiratory problems surfaced in the neighborhood,causing a few deaths.

After the Grant Road mishap,the local corporator drove away grain-sellers from the street. Two days later,BMC’s Law Committee chairman Makrand Narvekar prepared a proposal to move kabutar khanas to less crowded areas. The kabutar khanas at Minerva,Novelty Theatre and Navjeevan Society have been demolished by the BMC. However,a visit to the area of the accident shows that pigeons continue to gather there. Pigeon-lovers say the accident can’t be blamed on the birds,saying it was an unfortunate but a rare occurrence.