Mumbai Port Trust’s eviction drive threatens livelihood of 10 lakh people at Sassoon Dock

Seafood traders at Mumbai’s historic Sassoon Dock are facing one of their toughest battles yet. Mumbai Port Trust (MPT) has initiated eviction proceedings against around 15 warehouse tenants over non-payment of rent – ​​a move traders say could jeopardize the livelihood of thousands of families dependent on the seafood trade.

Built in 1875, Sassoon Dock is one of the oldest docks in Mumbai and is an important part of Maharashtra’s seafood supply chain. It serves both domestic and export markets and supports about 10 lakh people, from fishermen and traders to packers and transporters.

However, the future of this bustling center is now uncertain. MPT has already evicted 15 tenants three months ago and plans to lease out the warehouses to new occupants at modified, higher rents. The Port Trust claims that existing tenants are not paying rent as per the ready reckoner rates, resulting in huge revenue loss.

“We were assured that a three-party agreement would be made and we would be part of it. We were assured that we would not be evicted. The MPT and the state government reached an agreement, but nothing happened,” said Krishna Pawle, president of the Sassoon Dock Masemari Bandar Bachao Kriti Committee and secretary of the Sassoon Dock Traders Association.

This controversy is not new. A similar tussle between tenants, the Mumbai Port Trust and the state government had taken place a decade ago, when an agreement was reportedly reached to protect the interests of traders. But traders allege that the promises made then were never fulfilled.

The Port Trust says many tenants have failed to pay rent for years and are unwilling to accept current market-linked rates. On the other hand, traders argue that paying commercial-grade fares is impossible – especially when the seafood export business is already hit by high tariffs imposed by the United States.

The ongoing rent dispute has left hundreds of workers worried about their future. Members of the indigenous Kolhi fishing community and daily wage laborers say eviction would mean an immediate loss of income and threaten the survival of the traditional livelihood that has flourished at Sassoon Dock for nearly 150 years.

With no success, traders and workers are now pinning their hopes on political intervention. They also want Sassoon Dock to be given the status of a heritage site – representing the city’s maritime heritage and the continued contribution of the Kolhi community – to be recognized and preserved.