Panaji: Tourism department’s plan to redevelop the toilet block with a cafe, refreshment area and co-working space at Miramar beach is likely to hit rough weather, as revenue minister and Panaji MLA Atanasio ‘Babush’ Monserrate has opposed the plan.Tourism department invited bidders for development, operations and maintenance of the toilet block along with allied services at Miramar on a public-private partnership (PPP) basis.Monserrate said no commercial development should be permitted on the first floor of the toilet without proper public consultation and a thorough assessment of its impact on the beach, beach users and the school situated opposite the proposed site.In a letter to tourism minister Rohan Khaunte, Monserrate said that he has a strong objection to the proposed development of a cafe, co-working space and commercial shops on the site of the existing toilet block at Miramar beach.“While there is a clear public need for a proper, clean and well-maintained public toilet block at the beach, there is no justification for combining this essential public facility with a commercial establishment,” the revenue minister said.He said a public toilet at a public beach must remain a public facility, freely accessible to every beach user — local residents, children, families, senior citizens, visitors and tourists.“If the toilet block is incorporated into a café or commercial establishment, there is a legitimate concern that access to the toilet could become restricted, particularly during operating hours, peak periods, when the commercial establishment is closed, crowded or operating under its own rules or for people who are not customers of the establishment,” Monserrate said. “Introducing a cafe and shops alongside the toilet facility is likely to create avoidable problems regarding access, crowding, noise, waste, traffic and the general use of the beach.”Panaji MLA said that the proposed site is also located opposite a school. “This makes the proposal for a commercial centre particularly concerning. A café, retail outlets and co-working facility would inevitably bring additional people, deliveries, service vehicles, waste generation, noise and general commercial activity into an area immediately adjoining a school,” he said.Panaji MLA also said that Miramar beach is a public beach and not a location where every available public amenity needs to be converted into a commercial opportunity.“If the objective is to improve facilities for beachgoers, then the solution is straightforward: construct a modern public toilet block with appropriate supporting facilities and nothing more,” Monserrate said. “I strongly oppose the proposed commercialisation of this site and request the dropping of the café, retail and co-working components from the proposal. A public toilet is a legitimate public requirement; a commercial centre at this location is not necessary to meet that requirement.”
