SMC says naming not final as traders object to hoarding
A newly built wholesale fish market at Lakkadkot in Nanpura, Surat, became the focus of a local row after a large board bearing the words "Shree Narendra Modi Wholesale Fish Market" and the photograph of the Prime Minister was put up at its entrance. The board also carried the name of the Surat Fish Merchant Association (SFMA), prompting objections from a section of traders who said the hoarding was inappropriate.
According to PTI, some fish traders questioned the association of a self-declared vegetarian Prime Minister with a fish market. A trader quoted by PTI said the Prime Minister had "never consumed seafood in his life and is a pure vegetarian" and argued that, for that reason, the board should be removed.
"Narendra Modi has never consumed seafood in his life and is a pure vegetarian. Because Modi is a vegetarian, this board should not be put up," a trader was quoted as saying by PTI.
The Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC), which financed and built the market, clarified that the official naming process has not been completed. SMC Executive Engineer of the Central Zone, RD Ganjawala, told PTI that the hoarding was erected without an official resolution and that the civic body has informed the SFMA about the procedural lapse.
Ganjawala said the fish merchants have given a verbal assurance that the board will be taken down. PTI reported that the SFMA had submitted a written application to the SMC Standing Committee chairman and Central Zone authorities requesting the facility be named after the Prime Minister.
Market built for wholesale trade; cost and capacity outlined
The market is a purpose-built wholesale facility designed to serve Surat's large fish trading community. PTI reported the market houses 80 large wholesale stalls and was constructed at an overall cost in the range of ₹9 crore to ₹10 crore. The SMC described the matter as pending until the formal committee process is completed.
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Location | Lakkadkot, Nanpura, Surat |
| Number of wholesale stalls | 80 |
| Construction cost | ₹9 crore–₹10 crore |
| Applicant for naming | Surat Fish Merchant Association (SFMA) |
Implications for traders and civic process
Traders' objections highlight sensitivities around public naming of civic infrastructure in a commercial environment where identities and customary practices matter. The wholesale fish market at Nanpura is intended to serve a broad cross-section of buyers and sellers, including local retailers, hotel and restaurant suppliers and transporters who rely on predictable operations and clear administrative oversight.
- The naming dispute may delay formal inauguration or operational handover if the civic committee seeks clarification or rejects the application.
- For SFMA and stallholders, the issue touches on representation and local consent when associations engage with municipal authorities.
- For SMC, the episode underscores the need to follow statutory procedures before erecting public signage to avoid confusion and local dissent.
The SMC's position that the name is "still under consideration" reflects the formal route for naming public facilities: an application to the Standing Committee followed by a resolution. PTI reported that the board was installed prematurely, and the civic body has asked the SFMA to remove it voluntarily while the matter awaits official action.
As Surat continues to modernise wholesale infrastructure to support its food and allied sectors, civic agencies and trader associations face the practical task of balancing development with local sentiments. The Lakkadkot market's capacity and investment underline its importance to the city's supply chain, making clarity on administration and naming both a symbolic and operational concern.
Further developments will depend on the SMC Standing Committee's response to the SFMA's written application and any formal resolution the corporation may pass on the matter.
