Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte with MLAs Venzy Viegas and Digambar Kamat, Colva Sarpanch Suzie Fernandes, officials and stakeholders at Colva on Friday.
MARGAO
Iconic Colva beach will soon get a makeover, with the government unveiling plans for a major infrastructure boost at an estimated cost of Rs 17 crore under the Central government’s Swadesh Darshan scheme 2.0.
The phase-I project includes the redevelopment of the existing commercial complex on the left-hand side at the entrance to the beach and the setting up of a tourism convenience centre with provisions for an information centre, shower room, toilets, health facilities, and a police outpost for the men in uniform to take a rest. The project also includes the development of the creek and the restructuring and construction of new bridges over the creek on a priority basis.
Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte visited Colva beach along with Margao MLA Digambar Kamat, Benaulim MLA Venzy Viegas, tourism officials, and the consultants to hold discussions with the stall owners in the existing tourism commercial complex. The meeting primarily focused on how to go about the redevelopment and reconstruction of the existing commercial complex and the rehabilitation plan for the stall owners. Accordingly, it has been decided that the stall owners will be rehabilitated in the adjoining area during the reconstruction. It was also decided that the issue of their permanent rehabilitation in the redeveloped complex will be discussed with Chief Minister Pramod Sawant after the Diwali festivities.
After the meeting, the Tourism Minister said Chief Minister Pramod Sawant is keen to develop iconic Colva beach on par with the facilities in North Goa. “Some of the beaches at Morjim and Ashvem have been shortlisted to have tourism facilities. Colva in South Goa has been chosen for development. The government wants to develop both North and South Goa with tourism amenities,” Khaunte added.
He said the process of connecting the tourism establishments in Colva, besides the hotels, to the sewage treatment plant will be taken to a logical conclusion very soon. “We have consultants from the centre who are helping the government to plan and execute the Swadesh Darshan 2.0 at iconic Colva. They will spend Rs 17 crore in phase-I to provide world-class amenities,” he said.
Saying that work on the redevelopment of the tourism commercial complex was scheduled to start in November, the Tourism Minister stated that the work will now begin in the New Year on January 5, as per the requests of the locals and stall owners. “We have worked out a temporary rehabilitation plan for the stall owners during the reconstruction of the complex. The question of their permanent rehabilitation will be decided at a meeting with the Chief Minister,” he added.
As far as the fishing areas are concerned, the Tourism Minister has sought to allay fears that the fishermen will be displaced from their habitat. “There should not be any misunderstanding regarding the fishermen. A message has gone out that the fishermen will be displaced. The government is clear that the people will be taken into confidence,” he added.
Benaulim MLA Venzy Viegas has thanked the Tourism Minister for paying heed to the requests of the stall owners for their rehabilitation in the commercial complex. “We will meet the CM after Diwali to discuss how to go about the rehabilitation of the stall owners. Let us make this model a success before we proceed to the second phase,” Venzy added.
Need to get rid of tout menace: Tourism Min
Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte on Friday called for a total stop to the menace of touts at the iconic Colva beach.
In fact, the Minister has instructed the police and tourism officials not to make any compromises on the touts' menace at Colva, issuing directions to the authorities to curb the issue a la Calangute. He urged the people, including the stakeholders, to use the helpline to ensure the police do their job of keeping touts and hawkers at bay.
“We have cleared Calangute of the menace of touts and hawkers. We will initiate similar action in Colva as well,” he said. In response to a request made by Cavelossim Sarpanch Dixon Vaz, the Tourism Minister instructed the police to deploy two personnel in Cavelossim village to keep the touts and hawkers at bay.
