Dadar fish market vendors moved temporarily to Airoli, to ease traffic congestion.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has decided to temporarily relocate the Dadar fresh fish market to a site near the Airoli check post in Mulund East, after earlier plans to move the market to Wadala fell through. The civic body’s Market Department said the move is an interim measure until the permanent relocation of vendors to the redeveloped Crawford Market building is completed.
The decision comes amid rising tensions between local residents and fish vendors along Senapati Bapat Marg in Dadar East. Residents of the Swarajya CHS, supported by a local legislator, had protested last month, claiming that the market adds to traffic congestion in the already busy area, particularly since the closure of the Elphinstone Bridge. In response, the civic administration decided to clear the area and identify an alternative site for the vendors.Assistant Municipal Commissioner (Markets) said that the Airoli site would serve as a temporary arrangement until the Crawford Market project is operational. However, the Dadar fish vendors’ association has rejected the plan outright, stating that they have a court order protecting their right to continue operations until the Crawford Market relocation is ready.
A representative from the association said that the vendors had earlier challenged a similar proposal in 2021, when the BMC first suggested shifting them to Airoli. “The High Court had asked for our preference, and we had agreed to move to Crawford Market. The question of shifting to Airoli or Wadala does not arise again,” the representative asserted.Sources within the civic body indicated that the BMC is preparing to issue eviction notices this week, giving vendors 15 days to vacate the current site. Officials also revealed internal disputes among fish vendors from the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Market near Crawford Market, who reportedly declined to share space with the Dadar traders. “With both sides unwilling to compromise, the civic administration decided to act unilaterally,” a senior BMC officer said.
While residents argue that the relocation will bring relief to congested Dadar streets, vendor groups maintain that the move threatens their livelihoods and long-standing community networks. Urban planners have noted that such relocation disputes highlight the need for participatory decision-making in urban market redevelopment.They point out that while city governments must address congestion and hygiene concerns, solutions should prioritise livelihood protection and sustainable urban commerce. The Dadar fish market, they say, has historically been part of Mumbai’s cultural and economic ecosystem, and its eventual integration into the redeveloped Crawford Market could serve as a model for inclusive urban renewal if handled with transparency and consultation.
