The recent rebuke by the High Court over the government’s decision to sell the historic Lyceum buildings in Alto Panjim has stirred a wave of concern among heritage lovers and citizens alike. The justification offered by Advocate General Devadas Pangam—that the Junta House is in a deteriorated state and falls under the Disaster Management Act—only deepens the sense of loss, as it signals a troubling trend of neglect toward Goa’s architectural and cultural legacy.
The Lyceum, originally known as the Liceu Nacional Afonso de Albuquerque, was founded in 1854 during Portuguese rule and served as a premier educational institution until 1961. Its campus, nestled in Altinho, was a marvel of neo-Gothic architecture, with five pavilions constructed between 1908 and 1946. These buildings were not just classrooms—they were symbols of intellectual pursuit and civic pride. The Lyceum’s design, with its cross-ventilated galleries and climate-adapted layout, was ahead of its time and later influenced other public buildings in Goa.
Post-Liberation, the Lyceum’s premises were repurposed to house various institutions, including the Goa Bench of the Bombay High Court. To now see it earmarked for sale, rather than preservation or restoration, is to witness a severing of Panaji’s cultural continuity.
Equally poignant is the fate of Junta House. Inaugurated on August 15, 1966, it was Goa’s first modern high-rise—a six-storey structure that marked the beginning of vertical development in the capital. Built shortly after Liberation, it housed key government offices and stood as a beacon of Goa’s post-colonial aspirations.
Its marble floors, expansive balconies, and Swami Vivekanand Hall were not mere embellishments—they reflected the ambition of a newly liberated territory carving out its identity. The argument that Junta House is structurally unsound may hold technical merit, but it also raises questions about decades of administrative neglect.
As historian Lourdes Bravo da Costa Rodrigues aptly noted, the building’s deterioration is less about flawed construction and more about poor maintenance. If the structure is indeed unsafe, then let it be restored and not razed. Selling these buildings without a transparent heritage impact assessment not only undermines their historical value but also sets a dangerous precedent.
