PANAJI
The State government on Thursday clarified that there is no proposal to sell or privatise the ship-shaped terminal building of the Captain of Ports (CoP) or government-owned jetties, stating that it intends to engage professional expertise for their operation and maintenance while retaining ownership, statutory authority and regulatory oversight.
The government also clarified that casino operators will not be eligible to bid for the tender.
The clarification comes after The Goan reported that the CoP had floated a Request for Proposal (RFP) to appoint a private entity to operate and maintain the newly developed Terminal Building and allied jetty facilities, besides constructing and operating a new yacht docking station under a public-private partnership (PPP) model for a 30-year concession, extendable by another 10 years.
“The arrangement is intended to achieve three clear public objectives: better maintenance of public maritime infrastructure, improved safety and services for passengers and vessel operators, and generation of sustainable revenue for the Government,” the CoP said in a statement issued on Thursday.
The department said that the assumption that the Government is “privatising” the Terminal Building or the jetties is incorrect. “The tender is an arrangement for professional operation, maintenance and management of specified facilities under an operation and maintenance framework. The Government/Captain of Ports Department does not, under the tender, transfer ownership of the Terminal Building or the Government-owned jetty assets to the private operator,” it added.
The department explained that under the tender framework, the selected operator is essentially entrusted with the responsibility of operating, maintaining and professionally managing the facilities for the prescribed concession period. “Ownership of the Government assets continues with the Government, and the Captain of Ports Department continues to exercise its statutory, regulatory, supervisory and administrative functions,” it said.
The department said statutory wharfage, berthing and other charges payable by vessel operators would continue to be paid to the Authority, while the operator would be responsible for functions including maintenance, housekeeping, sanitation, passenger facilities, security, surveillance, access control and other facility-management services.
The operator would also be required to provide security deployment and give the department real-time access to the Jetty Operations Management Dashboard, containing information such as passenger numbers, vessel movements, arrival and departure times, berthing utilisation, dues, user fees, incidents and maintenance activities.
“The Terminal Building and jetties are important public maritime infrastructure requiring continuous maintenance and professional management in order to ensure safety and security of the users. The proposed arrangement seeks to ensure that these assets are maintained to prescribed standards without placing the entire recurring operational burden on the Government,” it said.
The selected operator will work on behalf of the Captain of Ports Department and will be responsible for, among other things, routine and preventive maintenance, housekeeping, repairs, passenger facilities, sanitation, fire and lifesaving arrangements, security, CCTV surveillance, access control, utilities and digital monitoring.
The PPP model is also intended to make better economic use of valuable public infrastructure. The selected bidder will pay an Annual Licence Fee to the Government and a shared percentage of the Gross Revenue generated from the project. Commercial facilities such as the rooftop restaurant, cafeteria, amphitheatre and ticketing counters can therefore be professionally utilised while remaining within the regulatory framework prescribed by the Authority.
“The Captain of Ports Department remains committed to ensuring that Goa's maritime infrastructure is operated transparently, safely and efficiently and that public ownership and Government regulatory control are fully protected,” it said.
