Days after the Air India aircraft crash in Ahmedabad, which claimed 275 lives. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has been directed to take concrete steps to address the growing concern over bird activity near the Versova Refuse Transfer Station (VRTS), which lies directly in the flight path of several aircraft taking off from Mumbai airport.

These measures include the immediate covering of the VRTS, collaboration with start-ups and research institutes to develop innovative solutions, the formation of a joint committee for decision-making, and the drafting of a comprehensive strategy to mitigate the bird menace. The decision to prioritise the issue of bird activity at the VRTS was taken at a meeting held on Wednesday.

The meeting was attended by representatives from the BMC, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), Adani (airport operator), the Disaster Management Cell, the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB), and the Department of Environment, Government of Maharashtra. It was chaired by Ashish Shelar, the guardian minister for Mumbai suburbs.