Kolathur’s ornamental fish market, the second largest in India, is set to receive a major upgrade with the construction of a new, modern market complex. The Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) will oversee the project, which will cover 4.5 acres and cost approximately ₹53 crore. This initiative, inspired by Chief Minister M.K. Stalin’s vision, aims to regularize and modernize markets in his constituency.
The market, renowned for its diverse range of over 1,000 fish species, including Oscars, Gourami, sucker fish, guppies, carp, and goldfish, is a key hub for the ornamental fish trade. Currently, the market—comprising both legal and illegal stalls—generates a monthly revenue of ₹300 crore. The new two-storey complex will feature 180 shops: 64 on the ground floor, 70 on the first floor, and 54 on the second floor. Each shop will measure 4m by 5m with a height of 3.75m.
Plans for the market include a wall-mounted glass fish tank for eight stalls, a large promenade on the northern facade, and an open-air theatre. The complex will also feature two courtyards of 250 sq. m each with aquariums, a food court with a 250-person capacity, and parking space for 230 cars and 200 bikes. The fisheries department will handle maintenance, while unlicensed shops will be regularized under CMDA’s oversight.
Local stall owner K. Sekar has expressed a desire for similar facilities in South Chennai, noting the availability of purebred fish that are not found in smaller city aquariums.
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