Rohit Kumar
Sri Vijaya Puram, 29 April 2025
The foundation stone for a state-of-the-art Wholesale-cum-Retail Fish Market at Bathubasti, Sri Vijaya Puram, was unveiled on Monday during a live-streamed session of the Coastal States Meet 2025 held in Mumbai.
The unveiling was led by Mr. Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh, Hon’ble Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying and Minister of Panchayati Raj. He was joined by Mr. SP Singh Baghel and Mr. George Kurian, both Ministers of State in the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying, and holding additional portfolios in the Ministries of Panchayati Raj and Minority Affairs, respectively.
More than 200 stakeholders, including fishers, fish vendors, fisherwomen, PRI representatives, and Fisheries Department officials participated enthusiastically in the live-streamed ceremony.
The upcoming fish market will be developed over a 750-square-meter plot, with a built-up area of 300 square meters. It is designed to enhance the efficiency, hygiene, and sustainability of fish marketing and distribution in the region.
Key features of the market will include:
• A raised platform for hygienic display and sale of fish
• Separate sections for fish cutting
• Covered drainage system
• Overhead water tank
• A pre-fabricated cold storage unit
• Administrative office and public utilities including toilet blocks
• Rainwater harvesting and waste composting facilities
• Retaining wall for support and a motorable access road
• Advanced chilling equipment to maintain product freshness
Once operational, the facility is expected to accommodate more than 80 vendors, both individuals and cooperatives, and cater to the daily needs of an estimated 40,000 to 45,000 residents in the surrounding areas. The project is seen as a major boost to local livelihoods and a significant step forward for the region’s fisheries sector.