The government machinery moved swiftly on Tuesday and demolished an “illegal” extension of the Romeo Lane club and restaurant at Vagator, following an order from Chief Minister Pramod Sawant. Speculation was rife that similar action might follow at the Birch in the coming days. While the action is appreciated, one is left wondering whether the government is undertaking a clean-up of beach illegalities through similar action, or whether this is a mere retaliatory strike to counter the critique the government is facing following the Birch inferno on Saturday night.
Romeo Lane outlets at Vagator have been at the centre of controversy for the past several years, and have managed to conduct business despite regulatory censures and court orders. The restaurant encroachment has been demolished three times, only to reappear months later. It has been repeatedly pulled up for CRZ violation, having a wooden extension almost into the sea. The Goa Tourism Department has even cited that it was damaging the tourism potential of the beach zone and had served a notice.
Now, here is the surprising part. Every time structures were dismantled or demolished, they resurfaced at the very same place a few months later. The last time it happened was in December 2024 and resurfaced in June 2025. All of this despite the GCZMA, GTDC and even the High Court flagging violations. How did Romeo Lane dodge authorities and the system? And why did authorities not show the same intent then?
While the demolition of the Romeo Lane beach shack extension is a decisive step, it prompts a question whether the government is genuinely and seriously going for a coastal cleansing or whether this is a one-off exercise. The Goan has been consistently highlighting a series of illegalities along North Goa’s coastline, and have brought on record the many complaints from environmentalists and locals, leave aside the strictures from the High Court.
There are hundreds of establishments that are still standing tall and doing business, despite being identified as “illegal”. Illegalities include lack of fire safety certificates, unapproved structural modifications, constructions in NDZ and violations of noise and licensing norms. This systemic failure has allowed hotspots like Candolim, Calangute, Vagator, and Morjim to flourish as hubs of unregulated commercial activity.
The devastation and hurt that Saturday’s tragedy has brought to the people cannot be wiped out through such action. The government will have to prove its sincerity in going beyond Romeo Lane. Goans don’t believe in reactive measures anymore, because they are seen as damage-control initiatives. The government of the day will have to cover a lot of ground and rebuild the trust of people with a systematic crackdown on all illegal establishments along the coast.
That being said, this moment offers an opportunity for the Goa government to reflect on its enforcement policies. The repeated defiance of court orders, the proliferation of illegal businesses, and the complicity of authorities suggest a need for an urgent intervention and reform. The demolition of the Romeo Lane extension could serve as a catalyst for systemic change that could salvage Goa’s image, which has taken a severe beating across the nation. The ball is in the government’s court once again, and its resolve to cut out political or financial interests will be tested here.
