Team Herald
PANJIM: The proposed jetty projects under Sagarmala projects would not be a white elephant but instead would be economically sustainable as the Captain of Ports Department has drafted an overall scheme to generate revenue once construction completes.
The project is pegged at Rs 73 crore and is on a 50:50 sharing pattern. The department expects the scheme will fetch the government close to Rs 4 crore annually. In its presentation before Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, the port officials stated that the overall scheme is to ensure that jetties are not kept idle after construction.
Considering that the project is of social importance and to improve the tourism-related infrastructure for the State and also to promote Inland Waterways Transport, the Centre under its Sagarmala project is funding 50 per cent.
The environmental impact assessment reports were submitted on May 7 with the project now due for public hearing in the North and South Goa, in a bid to allay apprehensions in the minds of the people that the project would allow cargo operations and impact the environment.
Captain of Ports, James Braganza, who made the presentation before the CM, said they would also follow up with the Archaeological Survey of India for clearance of the Old Goa site. Appointment of project management consultant for tendering and project monitoring will also be carried out.
“Once the Centre approves the project followed by permission from various authorities, the process of tendering, etc would begin. The first phase will be taken up first. However, before that, we will take into confidence all the stakeholders and the general public to create awareness that the project has nothing to do with cargo operations. Moreover, the environmental aspect will also be looked into it while taking up the work,” Ports Minister Jayesh Salgaonkar had told Herald soon after the presentation – also attended by him – on Monday. The minister added that the project will boost hinterland tourism and reduce vehicular congestion on the roads.
