PANAJI:
Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte on Tuesday said that the proposed PM Unity Mall project will go ahead, with the government currently in the process of identifying a new site for its construction.
Speaking in the Assembly, Khaunte said the administrative process for selecting an alternative location is underway after the earlier proposal at Chimbel ran into opposition.
“Unity Mall will happen. We are in the process of identifying new land for the project, and the administrative procedure for finalising the new site is currently underway,” the minister said.
Khaunte also claimed that the Chimbel panchayat has withheld Rs 1 crore that was paid by the government towards a construction licence for the project.
“The Chimbel panchayat has held back the government’s Rs 1 crore paid for the construction licence. They are not ready to refund the amount until the site is restored,” he said.
The minister added that the government is currently not in a position to restore the site as the new location for the project is yet to be finalised.
Khaunte further alleged that the protests held in Chimbel against the project were politically motivated.
“There was politics behind the Chimbel protest. Their protest was not really against the project, but they wanted to protest,” he said.
