Daijiworld Media Network – Panaji
Panaji, Feb 10: Nearly two years after it was unveiled with much fanfare in the virtual presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Goa government’s ambitious redevelopment project around the Basilica of Bom Jesus in Old Goa has run into rough weather, with strong public opposition forcing the State to propose changes to the original plan.
The project, sanctioned under the Centre’s Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Heritage Augmentation Drive (PRASHAD) scheme, was launched online in March 2024 as part of a nationwide initiative to upgrade infrastructure at major pilgrimage centres. With an approved cost of Rs 16.46 crore, the project aimed to create improved facilities for pilgrims and tourists visiting the UNESCO World Heritage site.
According to sources, although authorities have claimed that around 24.78 per cent physical progress has been achieved, the State government has now proposed deviations from the originally approved design. “We have proposed deviations. The revised plan will be placed before the Central Sanctioning and Monitoring Committee, which is the apex body responsible for approving and monitoring tourism infrastructure projects at pilgrimage sites,” a source said.
Significantly, not a single rupee has been utilised from the sanctioned project cost, which was approved on December 4, 2024.
The controversy largely revolved around the proposed parking complex and heritage interpretation centre near the Basilica. The plan included a parking facility for 132 vehicles, including 16 buses and over 200 two-wheelers, along with a heritage interpretation centre featuring digital exhibits, hop-on hop-off services, e-vehicles, a cafeteria, administrative offices and security infrastructure.
Local residents strongly opposed the project, arguing that the proposed complex amounted to commercialisation of a sacred precinct located close to the historic church. Protests intensified last year when hundreds marched through Old Goa, with the Save Old Goa Action Committee terming the project “outrageous” and warning that any large commercial structure within 100 metres of the Basilica of Bom Jesus would irreversibly harm the sanctity and heritage value of the site.
The State government, however, defended the proposal, stating that the project was intended to provide better amenities for pilgrims and tourists, improve crowd management and enhance the overall visitor experience at Old Goa.
Meanwhile, even as the PRASHAD project around the Basilica remains frozen, the government has pushed ahead with other tourism initiatives under Swadesh Darshan 2.0. This includes the Rs 19.89-crore Colva Beach Experience project, which was sanctioned in August 2024 and where work has recently commenced.