Summary:
- Goa increased safety enforcement after a deadly nightclub fire.
- Authorities sealed The Cape Goa and other clubs for fire, structural and licensing violations.
- Officials said the measures aim to protect tourism, not disrupt it.
AUTHORITIES IN GOA have intensified enforcement of fire and safety regulations across the tourism sector. The move follows a nightclub fire in North Goa earlier this month that killed 25 people, prompting inspections, closures and coordinated policy action.
As part of the crackdown, officials sealed The Cape Goa, a cliffside restaurant near Cabo de Rama Fort in South Goa, citing an “imminent threat to human life and property,” according to the Economic Times.
“After reviewing the inspection report and materials, I find the danger to be imminent, the premises to be endangering public safety and immediate intervention necessary to protect life and property,” the order said.
According to the sealing order, the Tourism Department had approved one temporary shack at the site, but inspectors found it operating as a restaurant beyond the sanctioned plinth area.
The action followed a Dec. 12 inspection led by Maya Pednekar, chairperson of the joint enforcement and monitoring committee for Canacona taluka. Inspectors reported overcrowding, no approved structural plan or stability certificate, unsafe kitchen conditions, blocked exits, inadequate fire-fighting equipment and electrical hazards. They also noted 29 commercial LPG cylinders stored near exhaust ducts, no gas leak detectors and no clear exit or evacuation signage.
The sealing follows a Dec. 6 fire at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub in Arpora, about 25 kilometers from Panaji, that killed 25 people. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant later convened a meeting to tighten safety protocols, improve interdepartmental coordination and prevent similar incidents during the tourism season.
The Goa government is cracking down on nightclubs violating safety and licensing rules ahead of the Christmas and New Year season, according to the Hindustan Times.
Cafe CO2 in Vagator was closed for operating without a fire no-objection certificate and for structural issues, Times of India reported.
Goya Club in Vagator was shut over land-use violations and irregular permissions. Diaz Pool Club and Bar in Anjuna had its fire NOC revoked after inspections found inadequate safety measures, while parts of Romeo Lane in Vagator were demolished and sealed after repeated illegal construction.
Goa officials said the actions aim to safeguard tourism rather than disrupt it.
Media reports also said Birch by Romeo Lane lacked emergency exits on the ground and deck floors.
