PANAJI
With less than two months remaining for the decennial Exposition of St Francis Xavier at Old Goa, the State-appointed officials and experts are in the final stages of developing a new app to facilitate devotees attending the event, beginning on November 21.
At the first meeting of the Exposition Secretariat Committee held in August, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant announced a dedicated portal to simplify the pilgrimage process by allowing the pilgrims to book accommodations and manage their visit with systematic queue management options, especially catering to sick and differently abled.
“The app will allow users to book a specific time slot to venerate the relics. This will reduce long queues... These app users will have direct entry through a separate queue,” said one of the committee members.
As per tentative plans, pilgrims will enter the Cathedral for veneration through the main entrance whereas the side door will be exclusively for those with app-booked slots.
The app is also likely to feature accommodation booking showing both paid hotel options and free lodging facilities. For this, the State government will tie up with hotels, particularly in and around the exposition venue to ease travel for the pilgrims.
With this, the tents will reduce to three after the last experience when the tents were left unutilised. The remaining area will be used for vehicle parking.
The State has also decided to set up Pilgrim Centres around the Church area, and an art exhibition featuring 65 Goan artists at Santa Monica Church.
The road access, toilets, beautification, illumination and signage besides CCTV cameras will be the focus. “Security of each attendee is of utmost important. So also, covered walkways, washrooms, drinking water booths and a dedicated parking system will be set up. Electric Buggies will be provided to assist in transporting elderly and differently-abled individuals,” an official said.
