“The State government’s stand that there is no investment and no tax-payers’ money involved in the ropeway project is a blatant lie as the land acquired on the Panjim side by the Tourism Department of 5,200 sq mts was acquired with tax-payers’ money and also the Nerul Comunidade land from the other side is being acquired with the tax-payers’ money,” Congress spokesperson Trajano D’Mello told media persons.
D’Mello said the party is not against the ropeway project but has certain reservations. “Though we don’t oppose the ropeway project per se, this project has many questions that need to be answered. What is conspicuously absent is the time frame for the project completion,” he said.
He alleged that the government agreeing to five percent gross turnover will open chances of gross manipulation and demanded that a fixed rent be charged, which should begin within one year of the date the agreement is signed.
“The State government should come out clean whether the ropeway project will be a China made project or Make in India project. The government should fix the term of the completion of the project and a penalty imposed for every month in the delay with ascending strata,” he said.
