July 15, 2025: Mumbai’s fishing community is gearing up for a major protest against the relocation of the historic Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj (CSM) Fish Market, with a morcha planned to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) headquarters on July 22. The All Maharashtra Fisherfolk Action Committee (AMFAC) is demanding that the market remain at its original site and be officially reserved once again for the Koli community.
Established in 1971, the CSM Market has long served as a vital economic hub, with an annual turnover of approximately Rs 2,000 crore. Fisherfolk from across the Konkan coast, including Vasai, Versova, Raigad, Ratnagiri, and Malvan, have traditionally sold their fresh catch here. After the building was declared structurally unsafe in 2012, it was evacuated in July 2021 and later leased by the BMC to a private developer for Rs 369 crore for 30 years.
“The BMC had promised an international-standard fish market at Crawford Market, but only 40% of the construction is complete. Traders are now forced to operate on the footpath,” said Sanjay Koli, AMFAC General Secretary. Damodar Tandel, President of AMFAC, has submitted a letter to Municipal Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani, urging that the Rs 400-crore plot be permanently allotted to the Koli community.
The CSM Market originally comprised a basement, ground floor, and four upper storeys. While the Bombay High Court had ordered evacuation for public safety, community leaders argue that redevelopment should not compromise traditional livelihoods. A senior civic official noted that displaced vendors were allotted space under the 2014–2016 Crawford Market redevelopment plan, and the lease process was legally finalised six months ago, leaving no room for revision. Fisherfolk have vowed to continue their agitation until their demands are met.
Source: The Free Press Journal
