MARGAO
Deputy Chief Minister Vijai Sardesai has said that the four-day Goa Heritage Festival around the Old Market-Borda area of the city is not just a one-time event, but is part of a concerted effort to usher in heritage tourism in the
state as was being done
in Rajasthan.
He further said that the festival will not end with entertainment programmes during the four-day period, but is the beginning of the restoration of the entire heritage area at a cost of Rs 5-6 crore.
Besides, the history of the place will be displayed on the houses, where visitors can take a look while taking the heritage walk.
“The natural heritage should remain a calendar event. It will take some time. We need to create awareness why this heritage needs protection,” Sardesai told the media on the eve of the festival.
Disclosing plans to rope in experts, including a Goan, who is heading a California-based college as its dean to help in the urban
revival, Sardesai said the traffic pressure on the Old market-Holy Spirit Church road will ease once it is converted into a pedestrian zone after the Borda-Gogol road takes shape.
Saying heritage festivals can help usher in heritage tourism in the state, the Deputy Chief Minister said Rajasthan has shown the way by incentivizing to convert their ‘havelis’ into hotels.
“I want to bring this idea to Goa by incentivizing the people,” he said, adding that self-respecting Goans should celebrate heritage festivals.
Saying that the naming of the road after renowned musician Chris Perry is part of the four-day festival, he said eminent personalities in the music field including Louis Banks will attend the road naming ceremony.
The stage seems all set for the four-day festival in the city, beginning from Thursday. The entire route, around three kilometres, from Old Market to Borda, has been illuminated as part of the festival.
