CHENNAI: The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) announced on Friday that all fish vendors along Loop Road near Marina Beach must relocate to the newly constructed modern fish market from Saturday (October 19) or face action.
Despite being allocated dedicated spaces in the new market, some vendors continue to operate illegally on Loop Road, which the GCC recently declared as a non-vending zone.
The corporation has also urged the public to purchase fish only within the market premises and park vehicles in the designated, free-of-cost parking areas.
To ensure compliance, a surveillance team, comprising zone-level officials from the GCC and the traffic police, will monitor the area. A patrol station will also be set up in the area.
Speaking at a press conference at the new fish market, Regional Deputy Commissioner (Central) K J Praveen Kumar detailed the facilities at the market and asked vendors to shift immediately. The market was inaugurated by Chief Minister M K Stalin on August 12, and shop allocation was completed by August 27. Though some vendors shifted on October 5, many still operate from Loop Road.
The push for relocation follows a 2023 Madras High Court suo motu public interest litigation (PIL) seeking steps to regulate fish stalls and encroachments on Loop Road.
The market’s stall allocation was based on an enumeration of fish vendors conducted in 2020. Out of those listed, 20 have left the business, and four others have passed away, leaving 284 vendors, mainly from Nochikuppam, Nochi Nagar, and Dumeel Kuppam, currently occupying the premises.
A 32-year-old woman fish vendor, who wished to remain unnamed, mentioned that ever since she moved into the market a week ago, her sales have dropped by 50 per cent. She hoped that the sales would pick up once all vendors relocated.
“Many vendors bring huge volumes of fish worth a total of nearly Rs 1.5 lakh. However, there is no proper storage facility here,” she added.
Praveen Kumar assured the vendors that additional storage facilities would be provided. He also noted that measures will be taken to help the vendors bring the catch to the market, along with nets, directly to the market.
Meanwhile, the vendors who are still operating outside the market expressed concern that the customers might purchase fish only from the first few stalls inside the market.
Dismissing these fears, Praveen Kumar said that customers usually prioritise value for price rather than the location of the shop. Another official said the market was constructed in such a way that the customers can directly visit any stall irrespective of their location within the market.