Surat Fish Market Named After PM Modi Without Civic Approval, Merchants Divided
A newly constructed wholesale fish market in Surat's Nanpura-Lakkadkot area has stirred a controversy after a signboard naming it after Prime Minister Narendra Modi was installed without formal approval from the Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC). The market, built at a cost of Rs 3.90 crore, is listed in official civic documents simply as a local fish market, with no reference to the Prime Minister.
The dispute centres on a large hoarding at the main entrance that reads 'Shri Narendra Modi Wholesale Fish Market' and includes a photograph of the Prime Minister. Municipal authorities have confirmed that no resolution or formal sanction was passed to assign the Prime Minister's name to the facility. Executive Engineer Rajesh Ganjawala of the Central Zone said a civic team visited the site to remove the unsanctioned board but withdrew after local traders assured they would take it down themselves. The board, however, remains in place.
The naming has drawn strong objection from Surendra Laskari, a local fish merchant representing the traditional Kahar-Machi community. Laskari questioned the appropriateness of naming a seafood market after a Prime Minister known to be vegetarian. He alleged that the board was installed unilaterally by Kalpesh Navsariwala, president of the Surat Fish Merchant Association, and urged authorities to name the municipal property after the fishing community instead.
Navsariwala defended the move, describing it as a mark of respect for the Prime Minister's policy initiatives supporting the fishing sector. He pointed to the creation of a dedicated fisheries ministry and central schemes such as the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana as reasons for the gesture. He also maintained that merchants who paid advance deposits to operate from the facility support the naming and would oppose any attempt to remove the signboard.
Beyond the administrative and political dispute, traders have raised concerns about poor civic infrastructure at the new complex. Complaints include inadequate drainage design, with small pipes installed instead of larger ones, leading to waterlogging during rains near residential areas and temples. This has added to public scrutiny over both the governance breach and the market's physical maintenance.
The central issue remains the lack of a formal procedure for naming a public facility. Municipal officials have not yet announced a final decision on the signboard. The episode highlights a broader question about how public assets are named and the need for transparency in such decisions. As the matter unfolds, residents and traders are waiting for the municipal corporation to clarify the legal status of the name and address the infrastructure shortcomings at the market.
