Panjim’s displaced meat vendors are finally seeing signs of relief, with construction of six temporary market sheds now underway at the old fish market complex—nearly a year after their shops were sealed by the Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP).
The work, being executed by B S Construction—an agency contracted by the CCP—commenced last Friday and is expected to be completed by next week. The project was commissioned following a tender process in which the contractor quoted Rs 9.7 lakh.
The move follows a Supreme Court order earlier in January this year, directing the CCP to rehabilitate meat vendors by allocating fixed spaces within a temporary structure originally intended for fish sellers. The Court also mandated that these stalls be equipped with deep freezers, refrigerators, meat cutting facilities, security shutters, and access to water and electricity—basic infrastructure necessary for running their trade.
The delay in implementing the Court’s order, however, has come at a steep cost to the vendors. Most have been operating from far-flung villages or not at all, suffering heavy financial losses and a drastic drop in their customer base.
“We have been suffering losses for the last nine months. Over half of our business is down,” said Mushtak Khatib, a vendor who now sells from a village outside the city. “When we were in Panjim, customers came from Santa Cruz, Taleigao, Porvorim, Betim and the city itself. Now, we’re restricted to one village.”
The turmoil began in September 2024, when the CCP sealed off shops inside the fish market complex. The move was preceded by demolition notices served in August that year, citing structural instability in the decades-old building. Vendors, most of whom had leased space for meat stalls, were asked to vacate. Soon after, the building was demolished, leaving dozens of traders, workers and labourers without a place of business.
Among them was Mannasab Bepari, president of the All Goa Beef Vendors Association, who welcomed the current construction work, despite the months-long delay. “I am very happy with the work being done. The fact that it is being done after five months is not my concern right now. I am not selling any meat at the moment and am waiting for the store to be ready,” he said.
Bepari, who represents several generational vendors with roots tracing back to the Portuguese era, added, “There was no business for 1.5 years and I lived off my savings. We have been in this business for generations. I want the work to be finished fast so we can start our business soon. We will be provided with a stall with shutters. We will get our fridges and whatever else is required for the business.”
An official from the CCP, when asked about the delay in setting up the temporary stalls, said the tendering process took time. “The Supreme Court order came in February, and we had to follow procedure to finalise the contractor,” the official said.
Meanwhile, the lack of a functioning beef market in the capital has impacted not just traders, but consumers too. Residents across Panjim and surrounding areas have found it increasingly difficult to source quality beef during major festivals, including Christmas, New Year, Easter and Eid.