What do we think of when we imagine a Cole woman? Usually, a woman in a sari sells fish on a local train or fish market. This has changed at least in Mahim Koliwada, Mumbai, where more than 150 women from local self-help groups (SHGs) now run street food centres under the name of Mahim Seafood Plaza in Mahim Chowpatty. These women, in partnership with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) (Maharashtra), completed the Food Safety Training and Certification Program (FOSTAC) program, became India’s first street food hub for all and obtained the certification and the first to obtain seafood-based street food hub nationwide, and the company is rightly inspired in its diet, just like FDA officials.
The certificate will be held in the presence of Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde of the City of EKNATH SHINDE and Cabinet Minister Narhari Zirwal of Food and Drugs on April 23 at Mahim Sea Food Plaza.
Sharmila Naik (46) is one of the women who have obtained the certificate. Ms Naik said the certificate was not only for the same name, but was crucial because it made us realize the hygiene practices needed to ensure the business of restaurants. “From setting up to getting approval from stalls, we did the inspection and checking. Citizen Agency officials in Mumbai visited our stalls and kitchens several times, and we cook here. It was a tedious process and now we have cleared it and we can mention it when promoting the hub,” Ms Naik said.
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The hub is run by 14 SHGs, each group consisting of 10 to 13 women under the Mahila Bal Kalyan Yojana program, consisting of 10 to 13 women by Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). Ms. Naik is one of the women who set up stalls in October 2023.
Koli women praised the community development officer (project) Ajinkya Paccharkar and community organizer (project) Dakshta Pawar to keep the program alive.
“This certification brings credibility and ensures hygiene, making the Plaza a model for a safe, sustainable, female-driven food culture. The FSSAI certification requires strict compliance with food safety standards covering cleanliness, waste management, water quality management, water quality and food disposal practices. This promotes consumer trust in food and promotes food service and promotes Anup Patlial, Anup Patlial, Anup Patlil, Fda.
“New Source of Income”
Women wearing disposable poop hats are busy frying fish for customers in their respective gazebos built by BMC; municipal agencies first initiated and proposed the idea of creating a street seafood hub run by women in 2021. In October 2023, women from the Kohli community started a seafood stall in Mahim Chowpatty, a community space in Mahim community that resides in Mahim and Mahim Fishermen with parking on board. The street food hub will operate from October to May, but this year begins in January and ends in May due to the monsoon.
Kavita Tandel (41) said, “The eight-month stalls have brought us a good harvest, at least we can manage ourselves independently and take care of the needs of our children.” Ms Tandel said they could spend about Rs 8,000 a month, but sometimes it was also low. “But we have a new source of income, working with the help of the house during the off-season,” she added. Ms. Naik has a similar view on the Echo. “I don’t have to pay my husband’s money, we’re buying what we want,” she said.
Ms. Naik used to run seafood delivery services at home. From June to September, she continued to serve. Ms. Naik opened a seafood service to support her husband and father fishing. She added: “Fishing is not as far as we go at sea than we did a few years ago. It requires extra fuel and manpower. Coastal roads have also affected our livelihoods.”
This initiative provides economic opportunities for unemployed women and, for some, it is another source of income.
Why is this important?
Mahim Koli women believe that SHG is not as effective in urban areas as in rural areas. BMC has implemented successful projects that make it important, and it is also creating jobs for others in the region. “We are from the idea that SHG loans can help us and other people who are related to the business, we usually outsource Barkris (bread), which fits in with the fish delicacies, making money for other women in the region, Yugandhara Akre (41), making money for other women in the region,” Yugandhara Akre (41), who are an accounting career in 15 years and now.
She quit the accounting information to take care of the children. She said it was a great opportunity to sit at home.
The initiative provides jobs for women who want to sell cold drinks, disposable cutlery, and sanitation workers.
Need marketing
Both the Preeti clan (35) and Ms. Akre have expanded marketing needs. Women use social media for marketing. “We hope we can do some marketing. In the first year, we responded well, but that’s reducing.”
The women also complained that the square started opening in January this year, and that profits were also low, unlike last year. One of the reasons for late opening was political intervention. Kaveta said we need marketing support from BMC and limited political intervention.
The “dine-right” label of these women means displaying their squares as food travel destinations, attracting locals and tourists in search of authentic seafood from Mumbai. Meanwhile, blending with FSSAI’s Eat Right India campaign – promoting health, hygiene and heritage.
publishing – April 18, 2025 09:29 pm ist
