VASCO
In a major development following days of public opposition, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Saturday evening announced that the venue for the upcoming Formula 4 Racing event would be shifted from Mormugao and the event dates postponed.
Sawant, who personally visited the port town to assess the situation, began his visit with a site inspection at the proposed race venue in Bogda, Sada.
Later in the evening, he held a closed-door meeting with Mormugao Municipal Council (MMC) Chairperson, councillors, local residents, and MLAs Sankalp Amonkar and Krishna Salkar at Ravindra Bhavan, Baina, to listen to the grievances surrounding the event.
After detailed discussions, the Chief Minister declared that the government would respect public sentiment and relocate the event.
“We had planned to host this prestigious international Formula 4 event in Mormugao as it would have significantly boosted tourism and economic activity in the region. The Entertainment Society of Goa (ESG) was organising the event, and it would have been a very big event for Mormugao constituency, because I had personally reviewed the preparations,” Sawant said.
“It is not that there were no solutions for the issues raised by the people. Only a small stretch was an issue because the race track would have passed through a congested 400-metre stretch in the area, but the organisers had offered to construct an alternate route for residents.”
“The event was also to be held for just three days—Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Despite having practical solutions, when councillors and residents expressed that some people were opposing the event and they did not want the race, we decided to shift the venue. The venue of the event will now be shifted and the dates of the event will be postponed. The government cannot go against people’s wishes,” he added.
“I want to emphasise that while the government aims to promote Goa as a hub for international sporting and tourism events, that can boost the economy of the area, people’s consent remains a top priority,” he added.
The announcement brought relief to several residents and local leaders who had been voicing concerns over safety, noise, and inconvenience due to the event preparations.
With the Formula 4 race now set to move to a different location, fresh dates and the new venue are expected to be announced shortly.
