Highway threatens Goa churches' heritage status

Old Goa Churches complex was declared as World Heritage Monument in 1980 and thereafter ASI has been maintaining it.

Panaji:  A legislator from Goa has expressed concern that the renowned churches of Old Goa would lose their world heritage status if the proposed four-lane highway passed next to these 16th century structures.

"The four-lane road would affect the heritage status of the Old Goa complex," said Vijay Sardesai, an independent legislator during the ongoing session in the legislative assembly.

He said that the state government has not taken approval of the National Monuments Authority for the proposed four-lane road, which runs nearly 100 meters away from the heritage monuments.

Sardesai said the rule makes it mandatory to have the highway 300 meters away from such monuments.

He said that the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has been consistently writing to the state government expressing worries over the proposed road.

They had suggested that the clearance should be obtained from National Monuments Authority, he added.

However, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar said the state government will follow all the laws while constructing the four-lane road, which is necessary to do away with the traffic.

He said that currently vehicles are using the highway running through two of Old Goa's monuments - Basilica of Bom Jesus and Se Cathedral.

"If you listen to their (ASI's) observations, they will not even allow mass to happen in the churches (at Old Goa)," the Chief Minister said.

All the observations would be addressed taking into confidence the relevant authorities, he said.

Old Goa Churches complex was declared as World Heritage Monument in 1980 and thereafter ASI has been maintaining it.

Basilica of Bom Jesus, one of the church in the complex, houses relics of St Francis Xavier, the first Jesuit saint.

Source: Business Standard