Following the tragic AI 171 plane crash over a medical hostel in Meghaninagar on June 12 last year, authorities in Ahmedabad have intensified efforts to curb bird feeding near the city airport. Acting on directives from the Ahmedabad Airport Environment Committee, the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has identified and closed 18 bird-feeding sites in the vicinity of the airport. Round-the-clock teams have been deployed to enforce the ban, and violators will face fines under existing laws.
Background of the crackdown
Although the official cause of the crash remains undetermined, the Airport Environment Committee ordered an immediate halt to bird feeding in the funnel areas used during aircraft landings and take-offs to reduce the risk of bird strikes. In response, the AMC banned bird feeding on major roads and open sites surrounding the airport. Among the first closures were five major feeding spots within a two-kilometer radius of the crash site.
Locations of closed feeding sites
The 18 closed locations span a wide area around the airport and the crash site. They include spots on Ghoda Camp Road, Ghevar Circle, Shahibaug Dafnala open plot, Airport Road, near Sadar Bazaar, opposite Sardarnagar Police Station and the Joint Interrogation Centre, and near Bhadreshwar Housing Society Kotarpur Road and Aishree Khodiyar Mata Temple, among others. Authorities have also flagged a specific hazard on Ghoda Camp Road, where vehicles carrying grain from nearby godowns frequently spill grain on the road, inadvertently attracting large flocks of birds. Precautions to prevent grain spillage have been advised.
Previous enforcement failures
The crackdown comes after years of inadequate enforcement. In July 2024, then-AMC commissioner M Thennanarasan had directed municipal officials to identify bird-feeding spots on roads and public places across the city. However, no meaningful action followed. These spots across public roads and open spaces have continued to draw large gatherings of birds, raising both aviation safety concerns and public health risks.
Legal framework in place
The legal framework to act has existed for over a decade. The AMC’s health and solid waste department first drafted public health bylaws in 2012, which came into force in 2013 under various provisions of the Gujarat Provincial Municipal Corporation Act, 1949. Provision 50 1(7) of these bylaws explicitly prohibits the feeding of birds or animals in public spaces, with a penalty of 100 rupees for violations. But enforcement of these bylaws has remained largely absent until now.
Recent measures and ongoing enforcement
In January, the AMC’s cattle nuisance control department (CNCD) banned bird and animal feeding across the Sabarmati Riverfront Project area, its connecting roads, and adjoining open spaces. A 10-member task force was constituted to eliminate feeding spots and tackle public littering along the riverfront. With teams now deployed around the clock near the airport and legal provisions firmly in place, the AMC faces pressure to ensure that the enforcement that eluded authorities for years does not falter again.
