GIDC raises red flags over IPB nod; project referred to govt as board questions land-use norms, industrial compliance
File photo of the site proposed for aviation and aero sports hub at Quitol plateau.
MARGAO
In a significant development, the Goa Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC) has expressed serious reservations to the in-principle approval granted by the Goa Investment Promotion and Facilitation Board (IPB) for allotment of land admeasuring 2.45 lakh square metres to M/s Skydiving Adventures Pvt Ltd to set up an aviation and aero sports hub at the Quitol Industrial Estate.
With the IDC Board members raising concerns on the Goa-IPB recommendation, it has now been decided to refer the matter to the State government after compiling views and opinions from its members and officials.
The proposal pertains to the allotment of approximately 2.45 lakh square metres of land at the Quitol Industrial Estate for the establishment of an integrated aero-sports and aviation ecosystem. The project, proposed by Skydiving Adventures Pvt Ltd, includes components such as adventure tourism, aviation training, hospitality, and drone manufacturing.
The IPB had granted in-principle approval to the project during its 40th Board meeting held on December 23, 2025, recommending that various departments—including the GIDC—facilitate the implementation by allotting the required land.
However, at a recent Board meeting of the Goa Industrial Development Corporation, members raised a series of concerns, particularly questioning the compatibility of the proposed activities with the objectives of industrial estates.
Board members pointed out that GIDC estates are primarily designated for industrial use, and not for commercial or service-oriented activities.
According to sources, some members specifically noted that among the proposed components, only drone manufacturing could be clearly categorised as an industrial activity, while segments such as adventure tourism, aviation training, and hospitality fall outside the traditional industrial framework.
Further concerns were raised regarding compliance with GIDC regulations, particularly the requirement mandating a minimum of 30 per cent land coverage for industrial development. Members questioned whether the project proponent would be able to build structures on at least 80,000 square metres of the allotted land in accordance with these norms.
With divergent views emerging, the GIDC will now refer the matter to the State government for a final decision, setting the stage for a closer examination of land-use policies and the scope of emerging sectors within industrial estates in Goa.
The Goa-IPB’s in-principle approval for the project had run into rough weather after the Betul gram sabha demanded an immediate revocation of the in-principle approval granted in the 40th Goa-IPB Board meeting (23-12-2025) to M/s Skydiving Adventures Pvt Ltd.
They had demanded a comprehensive and independent Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) before any further approvals are granted by the Goa Industrial Development Corporation (Goa-IDC) and the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB).
The gram sabha had demanded formal recognition of Quitol-Betul Plateau as a Biodiversity Heritage Site to protect it from industrial and commercial development.
Project referred to govt amid members’ reservations, says GIDC chairman
MARGAO: Chairman of Goa Industrial Development Corporation, MLA Reginaldo Lourenco has said the IDC Board has decided to refer to the government to take a call on the allotment of 2.45 lakh square metres of land at the Quitol Industrial Estate to Ms Skydiving Adventures Pvt ltd.
Confirming that serious questions were raised at the recent IDC Board meeting on the Goa-IPB’s recommendation to allot industrial land at the Quitol Industrial Estate to Ms Skydiving Adventures Pvt Ltd, Lourenco said the Board members, including officials have decided to send the proposal to the government for a decision. “The IDC meeting decided to refer the IPB recommendation to the government since members expressed their reservations on the matter. Issues raised by the members will be compiled and forwarded to the government for a decision,” he added.
GIDC cites regulations; project hinges on govt’s ‘special case’ decision
MARGAO: It is learnt that the Goa IDC Board has decided to forward the Goa IPB recommendation to allot land to Ms Skydiving Adventures Pvt Ltd on a host of reasons.
One, sources in the know informed that since the project does not strictly fall within the definition of an Industrial undertaking, the IDC Board will leave it to the government to take a decision whether to treat the Ms Skydiving project as a special case in the light of the Goa IPB’s recommendation.
Secondly, sources in the know further told The Goan that the IDC has decided to leave the matter to the government, to issue clear directions under the Goa Industrial Development Act, 1965.
The decision to refer the matter to the government also stems from the fact that any relaxation from the provisions of the Goa-IDC Allotment, Transfer and Sub-Lease Regulations, 2023 require prior government approval.
Goa IPB’s decision at the 40th Board meeting on Dec 23, 2025
“The Board has decided to grant in-principle approval to M/s Skydiving Adventures Pvt Ltd to establish an integrated aero sports and aviation ecosystem that features adventure tourism, aviation training, drone manufacturing and hospitality at Quitol Industrial Estate, South Goa”, the Board stated
To recommend to the Goa Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC) for allotment of suitable plot admeasuring 2,45,459 sq m in Quitol Industrial Estate, South Goa
To recommend to the Electricity Department to release power requirement of 3,000 KVA to the proposed unit in the said plot as per the relevant Act/ Rules in force
Villagers’ objection to the proposed project at the Betul gram sabha on March 1, 2026
Under the banner of ‘Save Quitol, Save Betul, Save Our Plateaus’ campaign, villagers have taken a stand that the Quitol-Betul plateau is not a waste land, but a fragile lateritic plateau ecosystem that supports 193 bird species recorded through citizen-science platforms like eBird and iNaturalist, including 9 near threatened and two vulnerable species under the IUCN Red List, and 18 Schedule-I species under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972
Critical water recharge zone: The porous laterite rock acts as a natural sponge during the monsoon, recharging groundwater for nearby villages such as Quitol, Betul, and Naqueri. These villages are dependent on spring water for their consumption. Large-scale aviation infrastructure will permanently damage this recharge system and worsen future water scarcity, the resolution stated
Gram sabha members feared habitat destruction from construction and vehicle movement; noise disturbance to wildlife; soil compaction and loss of seasonal plant diversity; light, plastic, and infrastructure pollution; besides permanent loss of an irreplaceable ecosystem
