Team Herald
MARGAO: A public interest litigation (PIL) filed in the High Court of Bombay at Goa has raised serious objections to the de-notification and transfer of a public pay parking area near the Panjim Ferry Wharf to a private casino company, alleging that the move was unlawful, lacked transparency, and was executed without following due procedure.
The petitioner, Jack Sukhija, has accused the Captain of Ports (CoP) and the North Goa District Magistrate of colluding to hand over the public space to M/s Golden Peace Infrastructure Pvt Ltd — the operator of a floating casino — for the exclusive use of its guests. He contends that this decision, which facilitates the casino’s reception and passenger movement, is detrimental to public interest and violates established norms for managing public infrastructure and sought restoration of the public parking facility.
The High Court has admitted the petition and issued notices to several authorities, including the State government, the District Collector, Public Works Department (PWD), Captain of Ports, and the casino company, directing them to file their responses by June 16.
According to the petition, the area in question had been upgraded by the PWD as part of a project to beautify the Panjim Ferry Wharf and its surrounding premises at a cost of approximately Rs 20–22 crore. This initiative was undertaken following a communication from the CoP to the District Magistrate in 2015, seeking improvements for the twin purposes of boosting state revenue and improving traffic regulation in the capital city.
Following these developments, a May 24, 2017, notification by the District Magistrate formally designated a 627 square metres section of the site as a pay parking zone for public use.
Despite this official designation, the petitioner claims that the CoP went on to lease out the same section, including the designated parking zone, to the casino operator without conducting a proper public bidding process or adhering to the legal framework governing public property transfers.
Sukhija has alleged that subsequent orders issued by the District Magistrate — one on December 13, 2023, and another on March 22, 2024 — revoked the parking designation without public notice or publication in the Official Gazette, effectively clearing the way for the casino to use the area for its operations.
The petition argues that such actions have stripped citizens and tourists of a vital parking facility in the heart of the city and amount to a misuse of authority by the concerned officials. “This arbitrary decision to divert a public facility for private commercial use not only affects accessibility but also represents a gross disregard for statutory obligations,” the PIL asserts.
Among the reliefs sought, the petitioner has asked the High Court to nullify the de-notification orders and the No Objection Certificate (NOC) granted to the casino firm, and to restore the public parking facility.
Sukhija also demanded the removal of temporary and permanent structures erected at the site and called for a judicial probe into the conduct of the CoP and the District Magistrate.
He has urged the Court to initiate disciplinary and criminal proceedings against the two officials for what he describes as an illegal handover of public land.
Pending final adjudication of the case, the petitioner has requested interim measures including a stay on the de-notification orders and a halt to all business activities by the casino within the disputed area.