Agartala, 12th September 2026 : Chief Minister Professor Dr. Manik Saha on Saturday made a surprise visit to the fish section of Maharajganj Market, popularly known as Golbazar, and took stock of issues concerning cleanliness, traffic congestion, infrastructure and the interests of traders.
During the visit, Dr. Saha interacted with fish market association members, traders, municipal officials and the public. He inspected the market premises and sought a firsthand assessment of the problems faced by traders and shoppers.
Speaking to the media, the Chief Minister stressed that maintaining cleanliness in the market is a shared responsibility. Referring to the longstanding popularity of Golbazar, he said he had been visiting the market since his childhood and urged traders and market committees to take greater responsibility for keeping the area clean.
He said merely speaking about the Swachh Bharat campaign would have little meaning unless cleanliness was maintained on the ground. A clean and healthy market, he added, would also benefit traders by encouraging more customers to visit the area.
Dr. Saha said the government is planning to transform the market into a modern facility and that a Detailed Project Report (DPR) is currently being prepared. He said the proposed development would seek to ensure greater convenience for both buyers and sellers.
On traffic congestion, the Chief Minister pointed to the problem of vehicles being parked haphazardly and said proper management would require cooperation from all stakeholders. He noted that the issue could not be resolved by the police or any single government agency alone, adding that discussions were already underway.
The Chief Minister also explained that he had visited the market in connection with an issue concerning the fish market association. He said the association had earlier surrendered around six feet of space to facilitate the movement of fire brigade vehicles when the fire station was located there.
With the fire station now shifted elsewhere, the association had sought to reclaim the space and proposed constructing a wall at its own expense. However, after discussions with the Mayor, it was decided that the Municipality would construct the wall.
Dr. Saha further said the specific requirements of the fish traders, including the space needed for fish-selling rooms, would be assessed before construction. He directed the Mayor to initiate the work at the earliest.
The Chief Minister was accompanied during the inspection by the Mayor, Municipal Commissioner and the concerned ward councillor. He said seeing the issues firsthand provided a clearer understanding than relying solely on reports.
Dr. Saha reiterated that the larger plan was to develop Maharajganj Market in a systematic and modern manner through the new DPR, ultimately creating a cleaner, better-organised and more convenient marketplace for traders and the public.
