PANJIM: The State government has identified three jetties of the Captain of Ports Department to zero in on any one for Maharajah Casino (M V San Domino), which will shortly come into operation after nearly eight years. The floating vessel has been leased out to politician Gopal Kanda-owned Golden Globe Hotels Pvt Ltd (GGHPL) for six months with the High Court of Bombay at Goa directing the government to allot a jetty within a week.
Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar has said that the company will use the existing boat as it does not have a vessel to operate. “They (GGHPL) paid us (government) Rs 54 crore arrears and we have issued them the licence. But they (GGHPL) have no boat and we are not allowing a new vessel to come to River Mandovi. The company is using existing Maharajah Casino boat. It is for the CoP to approve or not,” he said on Thursday.
Captain James Braganza stated that one of the three jetties in Panjim, Britona and the hybrid jetty at Old Goa will be finalised by next week. “We are examining all the aspects before zeroing in on any one jetty for M V San Domino casino vessel”.
The State Government, through Advocate General Dattaprasad Lawande had this month submitted to the High Court that it has decided to allot a jetty to San Domino and that necessary orders will be issued to the company within one week. Hearing a miscellaneous civil application filed by GGHPL, the court on Wednesday ordered to ensure that compliance is made while deferring the hearing to January 9, 2018.
While in Panjim, the CoP jetty has been already been used on “touch and go basis” by other off-casino vessels, there is also a possibility the eco-friendly jetty at Old Goa could be new in the list for ferrying Maharajah Casino passengers. The old Captain of Ports jetty, which was dilapidated and non-functional, was reconstructed about three years ago. It was built by the GSIDC keeping in mind the archaeological significance of the place and to cater to diverse requirements.
On the fitness of the non-operational vessel, Braganza confirmed it has been undergoing dry-docking and regular repairs to ensure it is sea worthy. “We have also been supervising the works,” he added.
Herald contacted a casino official, who stated that “everything is being done to meet the marine licence requirements.”
“We have been diligently taking care of the vessel and making time-to-time attempts to get permission for operations,” the official added.
