Fishermen voluntarily shift 10 metres away from Loop Road

The fishermen who were running their shops on Loop Road have moved their shops 10 meters away from the road. “The shops are now moved to the sand and a rope has been tied to separate road and the vending area,” a Chennai Corporation official said.

The official added that they did not regulate the shops as the issue is sub judice and only helped the fishermen clean the area.

Even though the fishermen themselves moved away from the road they expressed their resentment against the civic body. “When the road was laid, the officials promised to protect our livelihood as the road has been used by the fishermen community for years. Now, they are planning to build a fish market and shift us,” a fish vendor, on the condition of anonymity, said.

According to an official, there are around 300 fish shops on the road and the fishermen are demanding shops on the sand along the road. However, the Chennai Corporation and fisheries department, citing the coastal regulation zone (CRZ), have turned down the request.

The Madras High Court, while directing the Chennai Corporation to regulate street vending on the Marina Beach, had ordered to evict the shops from Loop Road, which passes through fishermen hamlets, including Nochikuppam.