Photos: Bangkok’s look-alike, India’s first floating market opens in Kolkata

India gets its first floating market in Kolkata, constructed with inspiration from Bangkok’s famous floating market. The vendors who were earlier removed from Baisnabghata-Patuli market have been rehabilitated to this new floating market. ...read more

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The Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA) has set up India’s first floating market which runs solely out of boats at the lake in Patuli, where vendors sell fruits, vegetables, fish among other produce. On January 24, 2018 chief minister Mamata Banerjee officially inaugurated this market as a rehabilitation package for vendors who were displaced from Baisnabghata-Patuli market for extension work on the Eastern Metropolitan Bypass. (Samir Jana / HT Photo)

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A vegetable vendor on her boat at India’s first floating market which recently opened along Eastern Metropolitan Bypass in Kolkata. (Samir Jana / HT Photo)

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A vendor weighs out fish for a customer. The vendors of this market will be trained in how to keep the water and surroundings clean and as a security measure there is a plan to install CCTVs here as well. (Samir Jana / HT Photo)

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For years vendors here had worked on land but have welcomed this change with high hopes in the government’s move to resettle them this way and a bit of apprehension about customer response. So far, 228 vendors are their produce, with a floating salon also present. (Samir Jana / HT Photo)

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Wooden walking ramps connect tether the boats to land. Children below the age of 6 years won’t be allowed in the market for safety concerns. (Samir Jana / HT Photo)

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A woman sets up her cereal shop on the boat. 114 boats have been brought in from Balagarh in Hoogly district to this local water body, to create this market reminiscent of Bangkok’s famed floating market. (Samir Jana / HT Photo)

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KMDA spent around Rs. 9 crore to set up the floating market spread over 30,000 square metres. The timing for the market is set from 6 am to 1 pm and 4 pm to 9 pm daily. (Samir Jana / HT Photo)