PANAJI
More than two years after receiving approval, the future of the iconic Campal lighthouse remains uncertain as the central authorities have now undertaken a fresh feasibility study to determine whether the crumbling structure can be replaced ” and if so, whether a new lighthouse should rise at the same location.
The project, which had recently obtained a nod from the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA), is currently under examination by the Director General of Lighthouses and Lightships (DGLL).
“The DGLL is conducting a feasibility study. The site has been inspected to assess the viability of demolition. The final report, once submitted to the government, will determine whether reconstruction can happen on the existing site or whether an alternative location is necessary; if yes, where,” a government official told The Goan on condition of anonymity.
However, the source stated that the lighthouse has to be constructed at the same location, given that it is an integral part of the navigation system of Panaji port.
The study comes after an earlier assessment conducted by the Public Works Department (PWD), which concluded that the current structure is beyond repair. In a statement submitted to regulatory bodies, the Ports Department cited government records stating that the lighthouse is in an “extremely dilapidated condition.”
“PWD carried out various structural analyses and concluded that the structure cannot be rehabilitated. It must be demolished and replaced with a new one,” the project’s proponent was quoted as saying.
The GCZMA, during its January meeting, granted conditional approval for the project while directing the Captain of Ports (CoP) to conduct a rapid Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).
The study is intended to evaluate the potential ecological consequences of demolishing and rebuilding the lighthouse, which sits within multiple Coastal Regulation Zones, including CRZ II, CRZ IB (intertidal zone), CRZ IV-B, and areas outside regulated coastal territory, as per the 2011 Coastal Zone Management Plan.
The GCZMA also approved construction of motorable access to the site, intended to facilitate movement of demolition and reconstruction machinery. The CoP thereafter requested the PWD to undertake the roadwork, which would traverse a CRZ-II zone.
