Completed but closed: Campal’s Rs 30 crore football ground awaits handover

Panaji: Nearly three years after its completion, the Rs 30-crore football ground and parade stadium at Campal remains closed to the public, caught in a bureaucratic deadlock between govt departments.

Officials of the Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) said the 1,350-seater football stadium and allied facilities are yet to be handed over due to disputes involving the Goa State Urban Development Agency (GSUDA) and the town and country planning (TCP) department. Both departments function under the same minister, Vishwajit Rane.

The project, funded by Imagine Panaji Smart City Development Ltd (IPSCDL) under the Smart City Mission, was constructed by GSUDA on land owned by the TCP department. CCP has demanded that the facility be transferred to the civic body, in line with the handover of other Smart City assets, so that residents can finally use the infrastructure.

Ward 17 councillor Jack Sukhija said more than 10,000 residents living in the vicinity have been denied access to the ground, despite the project being completed nearly three years ago.

“From what I can see, the facilities have been developed to a top-class standard. While several Smart City projects have faced challenges, this is one of the better projects, and it is mind-boggling why it is still not open,” Sukhija said. He added that the facility continues to remain inaccessible to the very taxpayers who funded its development.

The redeveloped Campal parade ground and stadium complex includes a football pitch, 1,350-seater covered stands, a multipurpose lawn, children’s play area, outdoor gym and smart parking facilities.

Panaji MLA Atanasio Monserrate acknowledged the delay and said efforts are under way to resolve the issue.

“As far as the football ground is concerned, it has been developed by GSUDA, and the land belongs to the TCP department. After development, it was supposed to be handed over to the CCP. I will be meeting the minister and sorting out the issue. We will then decide how the ground will function. It must not remain a white elephant,” Monserrate said.

The prolonged delay has raised questions over why a fully developed public sports facility worth Rs 30 crore continues to remain locked, depriving thousands of residents of access to a major community asset.