A Saturday ‘nite bazaar’ that Goa will not forget

PANAJI: Goa's famed Saturday Nite Bazaar — a bit like Woodstock meets Flea market — will begin at a new location starting this tourist season. A 10,000 square metre sprawling space on the Assagao-Siolim plateau, about two km from the earlier location at Arpora, is where the market is likely to start from November 19.

Started by Ingo Grill, a Dutch documentary and industrial film maker, the bazaar has over 20,000 jostling for space as they check out the 500 stalls that sell an assorted variety of wares; apart from food stalls tempting the palate with a range of international cuisine while live bands belt out mind-blowing music.

This is a must-see, must-do on a foreign tourist's itinerary in addition to being a popular haunt for Indian celebs.

The Assagao communidade late last month gave the no objection certificate to set up the market to Freddy Fernandes, representing Goa Adventures Private Limited, the body organising the bazaar.

Fernandes made an application for 50,000 sq metres on a long term basis, but following objections from some communidade members that a lease was not applicable in this case, a fresh application was made seeking 10,000 square metres on a temporary basis and granted.

Victor D'Souza, sarpanch of Assagao and also a member of the communidade, told DNA that the lease has been granted for this season (nine months) for Rs 6 lakh.

The permission from the Panchayat will be considered at a special gram sabha to be held this Sunday.

But the project has run into controversy with one of the communidade members starting a signature campaign against the market on the grounds that the ecology of the Assagao-Siolim plateau will be destroyed apart from it being a bad influence on the youth with drugs being sold there.

D'Souza who firmly backs the project dismisses the campaign by one Jostlin Fonseca, owner of Astoria hotel, and says a majority of the 10,000 villagers of Assagao support it. "Jostlin is hitting back because the panchayat did not approve an illegal structure at his hotel," he claims.

He adds, "The village stands to gain Rs 4.8 lakh by way of taxes. Besides at least 40 stalls will be given to locals and 200 out of the 500 jobless youth will get employment as security guards, running taxis and other related services."

Ingo Grill has kept a low profile, but has been quoted as saying: "I have very big plans — adventure park, restaurants and much more. We are looking at a 100,000 square metres of land... maybe more."

It has now been learnt that learnt Ingo has mega plans up his sleeve that include, apart from the Saturday Nite market, an adventure park open all week that includes climbing walls, skate board environment, Bungee tower, fancy restaurant facing the sea and a casino. All this has been spelt out in a letter written by Ingo to investors on July 20, which says:

“The most important points of this venture are few short construction time, freedom to build with no outside interference. Since we are already the model bazaar for the ministry of tourism in Delhi, contact has to be made with Delhi in regard to this venture."