Chimbel residents give govt 7-day ultimatum to remove fencing from scrapped Unity Mall site

Panaji: Chimbel residents have issued a seven-day ultimatum to authorities to remove the fencing around the scrapped Unity Mall and Prashashan Stambh project site. They warned of a fresh agitation if the land is not restored before the deadline. They alleged that illegal excavation has destroyed wetlands and accused the Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC) of flouting its written commitment.

“It appears that the panchayat still thinks the Unity Mall is coming up and the work will restart. Is that why the panchayat is not taking action? The GTDC has locked the gate for the fencing and it is illegal,” said community representative and local biodiversity management committee chairperson Govind Shirodkar.

He said that despite both projects being shelved following sustained public opposition, the fencing erected in Oct 2025 remains in place.

He said that during the monsoons, local cattle graze on the land while children also tend to play around. The residents’ frustration is sharpened by what they say is a broken written commitment.

“We request the panchayat to use the licence fee paid by the GTDC to remove the fencing since govt is not removing it. If govt wants us to protest to get the fencing removed, then we are ready to do that. We are giving them seven days to remove the fencing and restore the excavated areas and if not, the people of Chimbel will rise up,” said Shirodkar.

He alleged that the panchayat had issued a stop-work notice in Oct 2025 after a complaint about illegal construction, but failed to follow through.