Team Herald
PANJIM: Modifying its earlier order, the High Court of Bombay at Goa on Tuesday allowed the Department of Tourism to keep open the gate at Santa Monica Jetty leading to the ticketing counter of the cruise boats until February 2025.
The Department of Tourism filed a miscellaneous civil application seeking modification of the order dated January 15, 2024, by which the gate at Santa Monica Jetty leading to the ticketing counter of the cruise boats was closed to vehicular traffic and passengers. The gate was closed following several suggestions made to the High Court, which had admitted a suo motu writ petition in the matter of the Panjim traffic plan.
The Department of Tourism wanted to keep the gate open until February 2025 since the contractor required the pathway presently used by the pedestrians to go to the ticketing counter closed for a limited period in order to speed up the completion of the external development work of the Jetty Terminal Building, which is in the final stage of completion. In view of this the Dept of Tourism wanted to unlock the gate situated at Santa Monica Jetty leading to the ticketing counter.
Advocate General Devidas Pangam also placed on record regulatory measures and bus movement timings along with photographs indicating that there was sufficient space available within the Jetty which will not hamper the free flow of traffic.