Team Goemkarponn
MARGAO: The gleaming new wholesale fish market in Margao—rebuilt with taxpayer money and pitched as a model project—remains inexplicably closed months after construction was declared complete. Frustration is mounting among traders, local consumers, and civic stakeholders, who say the silence from authorities is unacceptable.
The market, developed under the South Goa Planning and Development Authority (SGPDA), was meant to end decades of congestion, unhygienic conditions, and haphazard vending. But instead of a fresh start, it has become a textbook example of bureaucratic paralysis.
Speaking to Goemkarponn, Anthony Fernandes, a wholesale fish trader who has operated in Margao for over 25 years, asked bluntly: “If the market is ready, why can’t we use it? Every day we face chaos. Who benefits by keeping this facility shut?”
The new structure reportedly includes improved drainage, waste handling systems, and dedicated bays for vehicles—features the old market sorely lacked. Yet fish merchants say they have received no official communication on when they can shift operations.
Local resident and social activist Meera Naik questioned whether political tussles were holding the project hostage. “We were promised that this would transform fish trading in South Goa. All we see is an empty building while vendors continue to operate in cramped spaces. What is the delay?”
SGPDA officials have maintained that the facility requires certain final clearances and procedures before it can be opened. But traders counter that these processes should have been anticipated long ago.
Joseph D’Souza, a representative of the fish vendors’ association, said: “Even the Chief Minister had assured early commissioning of this market. But nothing moves. We are being made to suffer unnecessarily.”
The redevelopment was touted as an important milestone for Margao, expected to streamline wholesale operations and improve sanitation. Today, however, many feel the project symbolizes official apathy rather than progress.
Urban planners have also weighed in. Architect Rajesh Kamat observed: “Infrastructure alone does not deliver benefits. Timely operationalisation and coordination are equally crucial. The longer the delay, the more the public loses faith.”
Questions are now being raised about the costs incurred in maintaining a locked facility. Daily fish supplies still arrive on overcrowded platforms outside, forcing traders to pay for makeshift arrangements despite a finished market building standing idle.
Margao Municipal Council has reportedly pressed the SGPDA to expedite the handover. But no clear timeline has been issued so far, leaving stakeholders to wonder whether the project will remain in limbo indefinitely.
As the monsoon progresses—and with fish demand rising—many in Margao are demanding to know: What exactly is stopping authorities from opening the doors?
In the absence of transparent explanations, speculation continues to swirl. Is it political disagreement, red tape, or sheer indifference? For now, the newly built market stands as a silent monument to delay—while traders and customers grapple with the same problems it was meant to solve.
Box
Will open market soon: Daji
“I have already brought this matter to the Chief Minister’s notice and requested that he allocate some time so we can resolve the pending issues. I’m determined to see that this market starts operating without further delay.”
— Daji Salkar, MLA & SGPDA Chairman
