Daijiworld Media Network – Panaji
Panaji, Sep 25: The Goa government on Thursday clarified that there is no proposal to sell or privatise the ship-shaped terminal building of the Captain of Ports (CoP) or government-owned jetties, stating that professional expertise will instead be engaged for their operation and maintenance.
The government also clarified that casino operators will not be eligible to bid for the tender.
The clarification came after reports that the CoP had floated a Request for Proposal (RFP) to appoint a private entity to operate and maintain the newly developed Terminal Building and allied jetty facilities, besides constructing and operating a new yacht docking station under a public-private partnership (PPP) model for a 30-year concession, extendable by another 10 years.
According to the CoP, the arrangement is aimed at improving maintenance of public maritime infrastructure, enhancing safety and services for passengers and vessel operators, and generating sustainable revenue for the government.
The department said the tender does not involve transferring ownership of the Terminal Building or government-owned jetty assets to a private operator. Instead, the selected operator would be responsible for operating, maintaining and professionally managing specified facilities during the concession period.
Ownership of the assets will remain with the government, while the Captain of Ports Department will continue to exercise its statutory, regulatory, supervisory and administrative functions, the department said.
Statutory wharfage, berthing and other charges payable by vessel operators will continue to be paid to the authority. The private operator will handle maintenance, housekeeping, sanitation, passenger facilities, security, surveillance, access control and other facility-management services.
The operator will also be required to provide security deployment and give the department real-time access to a Jetty Operations Management Dashboard containing information on passenger numbers, vessel movements, arrival and departure times, berthing utilisation, dues, user fees, incidents and maintenance activities.
The department said the proposed arrangement would ensure that the Terminal Building and jetties are maintained to prescribed standards without placing the entire recurring operational burden on the government.
The selected operator will be responsible for routine and preventive maintenance, repairs, passenger facilities, sanitation, fire and lifesaving arrangements, security, CCTV surveillance, access control, utilities and digital monitoring.
Under the PPP model, the selected bidder will pay an Annual Licence Fee to the government along with a percentage of the gross revenue generated from the project. Commercial facilities such as the rooftop restaurant, cafeteria, amphitheatre and ticketing counters can be utilised under the framework prescribed by the authority.
The Captain of Ports Department said it remained committed to ensuring that Goa’s maritime infrastructure is operated transparently, safely and efficiently while protecting public ownership and government regulatory control.