Mumbai : Residents of Dadar have strongly opposed the presence of a fish market on Senapati Bapat Marg, citing worsening traffic congestion following the closure of the Elphinstone Road Bridge.
After the BMC demolished the official market a couple of years ago, several fish vendors began occupying the roadside. Now, with the bridge shut since September 12 for demolition, traffic jams in Dadar–Parel–Prabhadevi have intensified, leaving locals frustrated.
Housing societies, including Swarajya CHS, held a meeting on Thursday evening and will approach G-North ward officer Vinayak Vispute to demand permanent removal of the market.
Civic activist Chetan Kamble slammed BMC’s move to restart the market, calling it “criminal negligence” as ambulances headed to hospitals like KEM, Tata, Wadia, and Global already face severe delays.
In response, BMC has announced a temporary relocation of vendors to a nearby parking plot until the reconstructed Mahatma Jyotiba Phule (Crawford) Market is ready in 1.5–2 years.
However, commuters fear that trucks supplying the market will continue blocking roads. “The market should be shifted to a location where vendor transport vehicles can be accommodated,” said Sayali Bosale, a daily commuter.
The 100-year-old Elphinstone Road Bridge, closed over safety concerns, will soon be replaced by a modern double-decker flyover, but until then, residents worry the congestion will only worsen.
