Bhubaneswar Unit-4 fish market to be relocated

Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) is set to shift the city's wholesale fish market from its long-standing location at Unit-4 Haat to a new five-acre site near Pandara locality in Bhubaneswar, the BMC sources said on Thursday.

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This move comes with Rs 57 Crore project that includes establishing a modern fish market and cold storage facility. The relocation, which aims to upgrade the existing infrastructure, has garnered mixed reactions from local traders and customers.

BMC has received the Central government approval to proceed with the project.

Some traders fear the move could negatively affect their businesses, as the Unit-4 location has been central to local trade for years. The decision has also sparked political debate in Bhubaneswar.

Political slugfest over the modern fish market project

BJP MP Aparajita Sarangi thanked Chief Minister Mohan Majhi for approving the project, crediting previous discussions in September 2024 for moving the initiative forward.

BMC Mayor Sulochana Das, however, questioned these accolades, pointing out that the groundwork for this project was actually initiated by the previous government in 2023. Das stated that the site was identified and the Detailed Project Report (DPR) was prepared well before the Central government’s involvement.

“A DPR, which was pending with the government for long, got approval yesterday. Now, the way for a modern fish market has been cleared. However, some people are trying to take the credit for this. A tweet of the MP (Aparajita Sarangi) made me laugh. She has claimed that the project approval was done by her,” the BMC Mayor said to OTV.

“She (the MP) should understand that the process was started in 2023,” Das added.

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While Das acknowledged that MPs should receive recognition for their efforts, she criticises attempts to claim undue credit, stating that it does not reflect well politically.

Approval from the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairy, Government of India, further underscores the significance of the project, which remains a hot topic in the local political debates.