Mumbai News: BMC To Relocate Chhatrapati Shivaji Market Fish Vendors To Modern Facility Under Crawford Market Redevelopment Project

Mumbai: After the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj (CSM) Market was declared unsafe, fish vendors and elected representatives urged the BMC to relocate vendors nearby to safeguard their livelihoods. The BMC held consultations and initiated a permanent rehabilitation plan under the Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Market Redevelopment Project (Crawford Market), the civic body said on Tuesday.

According to the vendors, the BMC had issued notices in February asking them to vacate the CSM fish market where many have operated for over five decades and move to nearby footpath. The move was strongly opposed by the vendors and the Koli fishing community.

However, civic officials clarified, "After vacating the dilapidated market building, the process to lease the vacant plot through a public tender began nearly six months ago. The tender process has since concluded, and changes are no longer possible at this stage."

The CSM Market, a nearly 50-year-old structure with a basement, ground floor, and four upper levels, was declared highly dangerous following a 2012 structural audit.

In response to a PIL, the Bombay High Court had directed authorities to ensure public safety, prompting the BMC to evacuate the building in July 2021 and relocate 348 licensed fish vendors to alternate municipal markets.

"Since the building was declared dangerous, representatives of fish vendors, the Koli community, and political representatives repeatedly requested that vendors be rehabilitated in the same area to avoid disrupting their business," said a senior civic official.

“At the time, the redevelopment of the nearby Crawford Market was already underway. During the planning phase between 2014 to 2016, the BMC reserved space in the new project to accommodate displaced fish vendors.”

The permanent rehabilitation will now take place in the newly redeveloped building, equipped with essential amenities such as electricity, water supply, sanitation facilities, and fire safety clearance. The occupancy certificate is expected soon, and stall allotment is planned to begin in August 2025, an official confirmed.

Compared to the old facility, the new premises will offer enhanced infrastructure, including cold storage units, a parking lot for 78 vehicles, ramps for goods movement, loading/unloading platforms, conveyor belts, lifts, and wastewater treatment systems. A one-acre landscaped green zone will also be developed within the complex to improve its visual appeal.

Of the estimated Rs 308 crore redevelopment cost for the Crawford Market Project, about Rs 110 crore has been allocated for the fish vendor's rehabilitation.

“These modern facilities will not only benefit vendors but also offer an improved experience to market visitors,” said the official, adding that the BMC has made all-out efforts to support the livelihoods of fish vendors and the Koli community.