Shops, offices told to vacate within 48 hours as redevelopment plans for iconic building in Panaji move ahead
PANAJI
The Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) has issued final eviction notices to businesses operating on the ground floor of the iconic Junta House, directing them to vacate the premises within 48 hours.
The notice applies to nearly 25 offices and an equal number of shops, many of which had resisted earlier eviction notices despite being offered alternative premises.
While the building belongs to the State government, which has already signed an MoU with a Central PSU for its redevelopment, the CCP is the local authority that had granted occupancy permissions and trade licences to the businesses.
Built in 1966, Junta House was Panaji’s first high-rise building and was inaugurated on Independence Day. The six-storey structure, equipped with three lifts at the time, was seen as a symbol of modernity in the capital.
A second wing was added in 1977 along with a fourth lift, further enhancing the building’s prominence. However, decades of neglect and ageing have left the structure in a dilapidated condition.
For the past 18 months, the government has been pursuing plans to demolish the building and replace it with a 14-storey commercial complex aimed at modernising Panaji’s business district.
Several government offices have already been shifted, including excise department units to the old excise building and forest department offices to Van Bhavan in Altinho. However, shopkeepers and private tenants have delayed vacating the premises, prompting the latest ultimatum from the CCP.
The redevelopment proposal has also triggered debate. While the government says the new complex will boost commercial activity, critics argue that it will add to congestion in the capital, which is already facing pressure from over-tourism and casino-related traffic.
Opposition councillor Jack Sukhija had recently urged the CCP to address Panaji’s long-standing parking problems alongside the redevelopment. He proposed earmarking centralised parking facilities in the Junta House area, warning that without proper infrastructure, the new complex could worsen congestion in the heart of the city.
