Will Mumbai Bid Goodbye To Its Beloved Ladi Pav As Wood-Fired Ovens Face A Ban?

Mumbai is incomplete without its vada pav, pav bhaji, and misal pav, all of which use the soft and fluffy ‘ladi Pav’ (Mumbai’s famous bread). These snacks are eaten by hundreds every day. However, this might soon change. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has issued notices to bakeries and restaurants to stop using traditional wood and coal-fired ovens in which these pavs are baked, citing rising pollution in the city. Here’s how the ban can affect prices and bakeries selling these beloved snacks.

Mumbai’s Ladi Pav Faces An Uncertain Future 

As per a report by The Times of India, the prices of Mumbai’s staples like vada pav, pav bhaji, and misal pav are likely to rise. The BMC has directed bakeries to shift to eco-friendly ovens instead of traditional wood and coal-fired ones. Nearly 1,000 bakeries supply ladi pavs to Mumbaikars daily. If they are forced to use PNG (piped natural gas) ovens, the cost of preparing and selling these snacks will rise. 

Khodadad Irani, president of the Indian Bakers Association, told TOI that installing PNG-based ovens would be about three to four times costlier than wood and coal. This, he said, would be a huge expense for bakeries. Furthermore, there’s also a looming threat that the production of these ladi pavs in bakeries could come to a complete halt. 

Also Read: “A True Superwoman”: Mumbai Mom Sells Vada Pav In 5 Languages After Years Of Struggles

Struggles For Bakeries

Wood-fired ovens are an integral part of Mumbai’s food culture. They lend the ‘ladi pav’ its unique smoky flavour. However, reports say these ovens also emit particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10) and volatile organic compounds that harm indoor and outdoor air quality. Bakeries using them are said to contribute about 3.5% of the city’s total pollution.

Some bakeries have already made the shift, but many are struggling. Structural changes, high installation costs, and heavy maintenance make the transition tough. As per a report by Atovio, this ban could also double the price of vada pav. It could even lead to job losses, as bakeries might move to automation-friendly electric ovens, which need fewer workers. Most importantly, the smoky flavour that defines Mumbai’s pav could be lost forever with eco-friendly ovens.

Also Read: Anushka Rathod Introduces Kamiya Jani To Unusual Khakra Flavours Like Vada Pav, Pizza & Manchurian

Do you think targeting bakeries for pollution will really make Mumbai’s air clean? Or will it only change the taste and price of the city’s iconic vada pav?

Cover Image Courtesy: Canva Pro/  Studio Philippines (Representative Image)