PANAJI
Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) president Girish Chodankar on Thursday claimed to have secured an in-principle assurance from the Tamil Nadu government for the establishment of a Goa Niwas at the pilgrimage town of Vailankanni to cater to Goan devotees.
As per the statement issued by the GPCC, Chodankar met Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay Joseph in the presence of Tourism Minister and Congress MLA Rajesh Kumar (Killiyoor), during which he raised the long-pending demand for a dedicated accommodation facility for Goan pilgrims visiting the Shrine of Our Lady of Good Health at Vailankanni.
The GPCC chief said lakhs of devotees from Goa visit the shrine every year and often face difficulties in finding affordable accommodation. He requested the Tamil Nadu government to allot suitable land for constructing a Goa Niwas that would provide safe and economical lodging for pilgrims.
The statement said the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister responded positively to the proposal and agreed in principle to the request. He also directed Tourism Minister Rajesh Kumar to begin the process of identifying suitable land for the project.
As an interim arrangement, the Tamil Nadu government has also assured that it would explore providing accommodation to Goan pilgrims through Tamil Nadu Tourism until the proposed Goa Niwas is established, the release added.
Expressing gratitude for the assurance, Chodankar said the Congress would continue to pursue the project until it is completed and expressed confidence that the Goa Niwas would eventually become a reality for the benefit of Goan pilgrims.
