Mayor Vishwanath Mahadeshwar on Friday directed the municipal commissioner not to move fish vendors working in Shivaji market to Airoli and instead provide them temporary space nearby until the market is redeveloped.
On July 3, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) issued notices to fish vendors in Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Market, located near Crawford Market, to vacate the building within one month as it had become completely dilapidated. They were asked to move to another proposed market at Airoli Naka.
The move was met with stiff resistance from the Koli community, who wrote to the BMC, and met Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray on Thursday.
On Friday, the Akhil Maharashtra Machhimar Samiti staged a protest at the market. Damodar Tandel, president of the organisation, said, “Every day, transactions of over ₹5 crore take place in the market, which supplies fish to big hotels and companies. We have a fixed set of customers who have been buying fish from us for several decades. Fish from here goes to 61 markets across the city and 41 markets in villages. Over 150 trucks and fisherfolk from far off places come to the market, which has been the sole source of income for scores of fisherwomen.”
The fish vendors met the Mayor seeking intervention on Friday. After the meeting, the Mayor directed the Municipal Commissioner not to relocate them to Airoli until a technical advisory committee report determines whether the market needs to be demolished.
“The fish vendors have a personal relationship with their customers, which will be lost. Besides, Kolis are natives of Mumbai. They should be moved to a temporary accommodation within A ward until the market is reconstructed,” the Mayor said.
Following the meeting, the representatives discussed the issue in a long meeting with the Municipal Commissioner. “It has been decided that we will wait for technical advisory committee report,” Ashwini Joshi, additional municipal commissioner, said.
Fisherfolk have been protesting the plan to move them to Airoli since they got the notices.
Pramila Bavan (50), a resident of Cuffe Parade who sells fish on retail in Shivaji market, said fisherfolk do not own land or have any other source of income. “I was six years old when I started coming to this market with my mother. My family’s livelihood depends on this market,How can the BMC ask us to move out?” she said.
For Chandrakala Vaidya (67) travelling to Airoli every day would be a big challenge. The Ambernath resident said, “I live alone, and lifting fish baskets is already getting tougher by the day. At least Bhaucha Dhakka and Sassoon Dock are close to this market. I don’t have to spend too much money on travelling. If the market gets relocated I will have no option but to starve to death.”
Manda Salian (60), a resident of Colaba Koliwada, said whatever development the BMC plans, it must do it at Shivaji market. “They need to be considerate of the fact that several women depend on the market for their livelihood and are sole breadwinners in their families,” she said.
The market was declared dangerous in a structural audit of 2014, following which the BMC demolished the top floor to reduce the load. The building was again found to be dangerous in a structural audit in 2017.
Nishikant Luman, assistant engineer of the BMC market department, said that as per the Development Plan 2034, the reservation for the land housing Shivaji market will be changed to construct a 17-storey building to accommodate municipal offices.
A modern fish market — Asia’s largest — will be built in Airoli to accommodate both wholesale and retail sellers, he said. “Shivaji market is spread over 7,606.9 sq.m. while the project we are planning in Airoli will be spread over 35,000 sq m. The area will have a parking lot and recreational space as well. In future, Airoli can be developed as a tourist destination for seafood lovers with hotels that serve fresh seafood,” Mr. Luman said.
The proposal would also reduce traffic congestion in the Crawford Market area, the officer said.
