From IFFI and Lokotsav to food festivals, commercial exhibitions and casino tourism, every major event seems to find a home in the capital. But who is thinking about residents, traffic congestion, emergency services and the city’s carrying capacity?
Panjim is slowly becoming a city that cannot breathe. Every few weeks, another festival, exhibition, cultural programme or mega event takes over its roads, grounds and public spaces. What is projected as a celebration of tourism, culture and economic activity is increasingly turning into a nightmare for ordinary residents.
The question needs to be asked: Why must every major event be organised in the capital city?
From the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) and Lokotsav to the Cashew Festival, Mango Festival, consumer exhibitions and countless commercial events, Panjim has become the default destination for almost everything. Now, with Oktoberfest Goa exposing the city’s inability to handle multiple large gatherings, the warning bells are ringing louder than ever.
Councillor Jack Sukhija’s demand to move mega events away from the DB Ground stretch at Campal deserves serious consideration. His concerns are not merely about traffic inconvenience. They are about public safety, emergency access and the right of residents to move freely in their own city.
What happened during the Oktoberfest weekend should serve as a wake-up call for the government, the Corporation of the City of Panaji, traffic police and event organisers. Roads were clogged, residential access was affected and ambulances reportedly struggled to make their way through the traffic. This is not a minor inconvenience that can be dismissed as an occasional consequence of hosting successful events.
An ambulance stuck in traffic is not simply a traffic management failure. It can become a matter of life and death.
Imagine a patient battling a medical emergency, waiting for an ambulance that cannot reach the hospital because roads have been occupied by visitors attending a festival. Imagine a family trying to take an elderly person to hospital but finding its neighbourhood virtually inaccessible. Who will take responsibility if precious minutes are lost?
The problem, however, is not limited to festivals and exhibitions. Panjim already witnesses a massive influx of tourists, particularly during weekends, many of whom head to the casinos operating along the Mandovi river. Casino tourism brings additional vehicles into the city, putting further pressure on an already strained road network.
Haphazard parking has made matters worse. Vehicles are parked along roads, near junctions and in spaces where they obstruct the movement of other motorists. Traffic violations often go unchecked, leaving residents and commuters struggling to navigate the city’s roads. During weekends, reaching certain parts of Panjim becomes an exercise in frustration.
Casino-related traffic is predictable. Weekend tourist congestion is predictable. Festival crowds are announced well in advance. Yet, where is the comprehensive traffic management plan? Why should residents suffer because authorities cannot coordinate parking, traffic movement and emergency access?
The government must stop treating Panjim as the only suitable destination for every festival and exhibition. Goa has several locations capable of hosting large gatherings. Margao, Ponda, Mapusa and other towns have grounds and public spaces that can be developed into event venues. Decentralising events would distribute tourism-related economic opportunities across the state while reducing pressure on the capital.
There must also be a distinction between events that genuinely require a central location and those that can easily be organised elsewhere. Does every consumer exhibition, food festival or commercial gathering need to occupy prime public spaces in Panjim?
The government must introduce a clear event policy based on the carrying capacity of each venue. Permissions for large gatherings should be linked to parking availability, road capacity, emergency access and public transport. Organisers must arrange parking outside congested areas and provide shuttle services.
The Smart City command and control centre was expected to improve traffic management through technology. What happened to that promise? If substantial public money has been spent on smart infrastructure, why are authorities still struggling to manage traffic during predictable events?
The proposed ropeway and planned luxury hotel at Miramar raise further questions about the capital’s future traffic burden. More visitors and vehicles cannot be accommodated without a comprehensive mobility plan.
Panjim is not merely an event destination. It is a living city. People work here, children go to school, patients travel to hospitals and families have homes here. Their everyday lives cannot be held hostage to an endless calendar of festivals and commercial activities.
Goa needs festivals, but it also needs functioning roads. It needs tourism, but it cannot compromise emergency services. It needs economic activity, but not at the cost of public safety.
Panjim has hosted enough. It now needs a breather.
A city that cannot guarantee an ambulance a clear passage has no business celebrating its success as an event destination.
