The parking lot at Benaulim beach is not, on the surface, the stuff of po litical drama. A strip of open ground near the shoreline, it fills with cars during the tourist season, serves as a staging area for fishermen heading to sea, and gives shack operators and locals a route to the beach that mon ey has not yet cordoned off. It is a public utility — built with public funds, serving a public purpose. Which is precisely why residents of Benaulim erupted when word spread that the Goa Tourism De velopment Corporation (GTDC) was in the process of leasing this land to a pri vate hotel — for up to 99 years — without consult ing the community that de pends on it. The backlash has been swift, sustained and is growing. This week, it was powerful enough to bring PWD and Ports Minister Digambar Kamat to the site in person. A large and diverse cross-section of stakehold ers — including panchayat members, fishermen, taxi operators and local resi dents — gathered during Kamat’s visit.
Kamat met members of the Benaulim panchayat, including Sarpanch Xavier Pereira and panch member Rasica Fernandes, along with social worker Warren Alemao, fishing commu nity leader Pele, former sarpanch Remy Fernandes, members of the fishing community, taxi operators and other stakeholders. He then inspected the area along with officials from the Captain of Ports (CoP) Department, review ing the parking space and adjoining stretch while in teracting with those present to understand both current concerns and earlier devel opments linked to the issue. Alemao said the delega tion raised strong objec tions to the reported move to lease the parking land for up to 99 years to a private hotel without consultation. He said the land is crucial not only for tourists but also for the fishing community, shack operators and others whose livelihoods depend on access to the area. Locals pointed out that the parking area, developed as part of tourism infra structure, is heavily used by residents and visitors alike and serves as a key access point to the beach, nearby shacks and fishing areas.
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They warned that any move to privatise the space could disrupt access and affect multiple stakeholders, particular ly during the peak tourist season when pressure on infra structure increases. Pele said the minister had been invited because the issue had become serious, stressing that the parking area serves not only tourists but also the fishing community and must remain accessible to locals. Responding to the concerns, Kamat said he had taken note of the issues raised during the inspection but would also need to understand the government’s position before proceeding further. He said he would seek details from the GTDC chairman, managing director and the director of tourism to get a complete picture. He asked the panchayat and representatives of the fish ing community to submit their grievances in writing, stat ing that a formal representation would enable him to take up the matter with the concerned authorities. He said he would forward the complaints and then convene a meeting with the relevant departments to examine the issue in de tail and work towards a resolution. The visit also brought into focus the deteriorating con dition of the stretch from Maria Hall junction to Benaulim beach, which locals said worsens every monsoon and re quires urgent attention.
In response, Kamat called the contractor in the presence of those gathered and instructed him to proceed with the road works, stating that the process to sanction expendi ture would be taken up in the coming week. He also pointed to recent policy measures aimed at pre venting repeated digging of roads, stating that no exca vation can be carried out without obtaining coordinated NOCs from all concerned departments before permission is granted. The system, he said, is intended to ensure that once roads are completed, they are not repeatedly dug up, warning that violations could invite the registration of an FIR. He added that the rule applies across Goa. The issue has been a sustained and high-profile point of contention in Benaulim.
A special gram sabha convened ear lier had unanimously opposed any move to privatise or lease out the parking area following a public notice on the proposal. The meeting drew strong participation from villagers, who objected to what they described as an attempt to con vert a public utility into a long-term private project. Res idents pointed out that the land was acquired and devel oped for tourism infrastructure using public funds and has long functioned as a public parking facility serving both locals and tourists. They also warned that handing over the space could restrict access to the beach and adversely affect the liveli hoods of fishermen, shack operators and others dependent on beach tourism. Following the meeting, a detailed resolution outlining these concerns was submitted to the authorities, and the issue was also raised in the Goa Legislative Assembly. The panchayat has since maintained that the land must remain in public use and should not be diverted for private commercial development.
