Mumbai fisherwomen’s livelihoods threatened by Bellasis bridge expansion

Aerial view of Mumbai Central flyover and fish market which will be removed. Pics/Shadab Khan

The new alignment of the Bellasis Bridge at Mumbai Central has drawn the ire of the local fishing community. The widened bridge will encroach on a 50-year-old fish market where 36 fisherwomen earn their livelihood, putting their income at risk. The fisherwomen feel that their concerns are being ignored and say they are being treated as "step sisters" (savatra bahins) instead of "sisters" (ladki bahins) by the government. They have warned that they may boycott the upcoming elections in protest.

"Where will we go? This has been our only source of income. We are illiterate and do not understand the processes much. If our market is gone, we will all lose our livelihood. We are very angry and will boycott the upcoming election process if we are not rehabilitated," fisherwoman Ranjana Worlikar said.

Many of these fish sellers stand to lose their livelihood

Another fisherwoman Kirti Babul said it was not just a question of their livelihood, but their life. "How will we live? We will suddenly have no source of income. Our children are yet to grow and the government is making us jobless by doing this. We are not against the reconstruction of the bridge, but the way we are being treated. We have been there for a lifetime and suddenly one day they come and tell us we are not eligible," she said.

"Out of a total of 36 Koli women fish sellers who have been in the business for five decades, only five women have had their licences renewed while the remaining 31 have been left with an uncertain future. The authorities have neglected these fisherfolk for the planned construction of the century-old Bellais Bridge while other shopkeepers adjacent to the bridge will be rehabilitated," Devendra Tandel, president of Akhil Maharashtra Machhimar Kruti Samiti, said.

"All shopkeepers working near Bellasis Bridge have the right to earn their livelihood under Article 21 of the Indian Constitution. The negligence by officials against the Koli women is a violation of the constitution," he added.

As mentioned in Clause 7.9 of Development Control and Promotion Regulation (DPCR-2034), the shopkeepers and tenants who are operating on land required by railway or government are expected to be rehabilitated suitably before making way for public and semi-public projects.

"All other shopkeepers nearby have been issued notices by the BMC. But since the BMC has not issued notices or given anything in writing to the Koli fish-selling women, the future of the Koli women is in darkness," said Mumbai city president of the fishermen committee, Prafulla Bhoir.

While Western Railway officials said the process and authority of rehabilitation of project-affected people is with the BMC, Assistant Municipal Commissioner Shard Ughade, the official did not respond to the calls and messages despite repeated attempts till the time of going to the press.

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No. of fisherwomen that have been granted a licence