The central government has sanctioned 43 crore for the mega tourism project. Expansion of the Santa Monica jetty, three bus parking lots, including a multi-storeyed parking for boat-cruise tourists' vehicles and a tourist information plaza in Panaji are some of the features of the project planned by the Goa government as per a report in TOI.
The mega project also includes the construction of about 15 interpretation centres all over North Goa in addition to the 7.47 crore tourism package for the development of Old Goa. Official sources told that the existing Santa Monica jetty will be demolished and a new one built to accommodate at least six tourist cruise boats. While the government had earlier allotted 13.88 crore for the reconstruction of the Santa Monica jetty, it has recently hiked the funds for the jetty to 14.05 crore.
The government has allotted 9.73 crore for three tourism bus parking lots. One will be below the Mandovi bridge at a cost of 21.13 lakh and is presently in the completion stage. Another bus parking at a cost of 106 lakh will be constructed around the area.
The most expensive parking is the multi-storeyed "boat cruise parking" to be built at a cost of 8.45 crore. The four-storeyed building will have parking lots in the basement, second and third floors. The ground floor will have shops for handicrafts, souvenirs and other tourism-related items.
A helipad on the fifth floor of this building is part of the government's future plans for this "cruise boat parking" building. Sources said this is part of the government's plan to introduce heli-tourism in Goa where helipads will be built in places like Aguada, Panaji, Colva so that well-heeled tourists can fly to and from Goa.
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