The much awaited football stadium in the capital city at Campal has been waiting to see the light of the day for more than two-and-half years.

Goa State Urban Development Agency (GSUDA), the executing body for the project, had prepared a detailed report for the stadium in 2015 and sent the project proposal to North Goa Planning and Development Authority (NGPDA) for approval. However, now the project lies in limbo with the NGPDA as GSUDA has sought changes in the land use and wants to utilise 25 per cent of the land for commercial purpose. The stadium will be spread over an area approximately 40,000 sq. mts, of which the GSUDA has sought to convert 10,000 sq. mts of the constructed area into commercial establishments.

The NGPDA is yet to decide on the issue. Member Secretary of NGPDA RK Pandita informed, "The matter will be taken up at the authority meeting and subsequently decided."

The GSUDA has already awarded the works of pavilion construction to Prakash Constrowell Ltd. from Nasik which has constructed the Sports Authority of Goa (SAG) Ground at Bambolim. The piling work has been awarded to Shreejikrupa Project Limited from Ahmedabad. Collage Design from Mumbai is the principal consultant for the architectural works. The total cost of the stadium is estimated to be around Rs 45 crores.

Sources in the GSUDA informed that the agency is awaiting the NGPDA’s approval and would take about a year to complete the project.

The project was approved by the Manohar Parrikar government in November 2014, just before he resigned as Chief Minister to become Defence Minister of the country. The foundation stone was laid by him in May 2016.

The stadium has been a long pending promise of Parrikar, who as CM in 2003, had demolished the Bandodkar Football Stadium in the heart of the city to make way for the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) infrastructure. However, consecutive governments defaulted in fulfilling the demand and the promise made by the government in 2003.