The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is planning to open a new seafood plaza at Khar Danda Koliwada in Khar West. This will be the third seafood plaza in the city. This plaza will prioritise women from the local fishing community. It will focus on fisherwomen from Women Self Help Groups (WSHG) for managing and operating the seafood kiosks. The BMC has invited feedback and objections from local residents before proceeding with the project.
Feedback will be taken to avoid issues similar to those faced at Mahim Koliwada, where disputes among WSHG members affected operations. Residents have until December 16 to submit their objections in writing to the H West ward office. Objections submitted after this date will not be considered. The seafood plaza will be located behind the Sherely Village bus stop on Carter Road in Khar. The facility will feature mobile restaurants offering traditional Koli cuisine.
These restaurants will operate on Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday. Fisherwomen from the Khar Danda area and local WSHGs will be given preference for setting up their kiosks. As per reports, a notice board near the proposed site informs residents about the opportunity to share their objections and recommendations. Last year, the BMC introduced the “food on wheels” concept to promote local cuisine and tourism in Koliwada areas.
The first seafood plaza was launched in Mahim Koliwada in November 2023, followed by another in Worli Koliwada. However, these projects faced some difficulties. The Mahim plaza faced internal conflicts and political interference. Seasonal closures from June to September also impacted operations, and many kiosks remained shut even after the fishing season ended. To address these issues, the BMC’s G North ward office recently instructed WSHG members to resume operations at the Mahim plaza. The civic body aims to avoid similar problems in the new project.