The construction of a new building for the main fish market here is progressing at a slow pace.
The construction was taken up because the old building at Poornaprajna Road was in a dilapidated condition. To construct the building at the same place, fisherwomen were shifted to a temporary fish market on 30 cents of land at Beedinagudde, about three-and-a-half years ago.
The fisherwomen, however, are sore at the delay in the construction of the new building. The construction began on July 15, 2013, and should have been completed by October 14, 2014. It did not happen due to design and other problems.
The new market is being built at a cost of Rs. 1.99 crore, with the National Fisheries Development Board providing 90 per cent of the amount and the Udupi City Municipal Council bearing the rest. The Coastal Development Authority is supervising the implementation of the project through the Ports and Fisheries Division.
Around 200 fisherwomen from places including Bengre, Udyavara, Malpe, Pithrody, Padukere and Katapady sell their fish at the temporary fish market at Beedinagudde. They are not happy with the increase in transportation costs and decline in clientele. Lakshmi, secretary, Udupi Taluk Wet Fish Sellers’ Association, said that the old fish market had easy accessibility which was not the case with the temporary fish market. “The authorities said the construction would be completed in six months. Now it is now over three years and we are still waiting,” she said.
Another fisherwoman, Appi M. Bangera, said that the temporary market did not have a proper drainage system and toilets. “We have to pay more to the van to get the fish here. Even customers have to change two buses to reach here. All these factors are affecting our business,” she said.
Meenakshi Bannanje, president of the Udupi City Municipal Council, said that she had spoken to the officials of the Ports and Fisheries Division and asked them to complete the construction as soon as possible. “They told me that the construction will be completed in about two months. We have been regularly pursuing the matter with them,” she said.
