Though Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has now remarked that the "abrupt" shutdown of pigeon feeding spots in Mumbai may not have been the right approach, it was his own administration that had initiated action against these sites about a month earlier, reported PTI.

The state government had already begun a crackdown on kabutarkhanas several weeks before the Bombay High Court's July 30 ruling, which declared mass pigeon feeding a public nuisance and a health threat. The court had also directed the BMC to file FIRs against individuals involved in such activities.

As the ban on feeding pigeons at public and heritage sites escalated into a political issue, Fadnavis adopted a more balanced stance to avoid public backlash, especially with the upcoming Mumbai civic elections in view, reported PTI.