TEAM HERALD
MARGAO: In a new twist to the delay in the relocation of the St Francis Xavier Chapel located on the KTC Margao bus stand-Old Market circle, Margao Municipal officials have said the Civic body can part with the required land for the Chapel relocation only after receiving a nod from the government.
An official told Herald on Thursday that the land in question was acquired by the Civic body for the specific purpose of vehicular parking. “The government should give the approval for the change in use of the acquired land. The Council might have adopted a resolution to allot land for the purpose of Chapel relocation, but the resolution should be ratified by the government,” the official remarked.
The Chapel located along the KTC bus stand-Old market circle was one of the three chapels which were proposed to be relocated by the government under the Fatorda Road widening project executed by the Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation.
While the GSIDC had maintained that the Civic body ought to obtain permission from the South Goa Planning and Development Authority (SGPDA) before the agency executes the relocation project, the MMC now says that the SGPDA can be approached only after receiving the government nod to use the parking land for the Chapel.
Incidentally, the residents of Madel had been knocking the doors of various government authorities since 2000 to relocate the Chapel partly located on the road to avoid obstruction to vehicular traffic, but in vain.
