Panaji: Nearly a decade after the Latambarcem Industrial Estate was established, not a single industrial unit has commenced commercial operations, with delays in providing basic infrastructure leaving govt unable to enforce its own rules against non-utilisation of allotted plots.Directorate of industries, trade and commerce has acknowledged that infrastructure constraints have prevented it from initiating action against plot lessees who have failed to commence operations.Under Regulation 11(4)(b) of the Goa-IDC Regulations, 2023, lessees are required to commence commercial operations within four years of executing a lease deed. However, govt has neither issued show-cause notices nor initiated re-acquisition of unused plots among the 23 initial allottees, citing the lack of basic infrastructure at the estate.Records show that water resources department released raw water to the Latambarcem Industrial Estate only in July 2026, a decade after the estate was notified.“The infrastructure at Latambarcem Industrial Estate was not fully ready in June 2025. The electricity department completed the installation of a transformer in March 2024. Further, the WRD released raw water to the estate in July,” the department said.“In view of the infrastructure constraints, action under the relevant provisions of the GIDC regulations for non-utilization of plots has not been initiated,” a department document stated.The infrastructure delays have also stalled construction. Only three lessees have so far obtained construction licences, while GIDC records show that 23 manufacturing units had been approved to start operations at Latambarcem, with approvals dating back to 2021. Most entrepreneurs, many of whom secured plots through e-auctions, have neither started construction nor manufacturing activity.The estate was earmarked by GIDC for food-processing industries, a sector that is particularly dependent on water availability.Data from Goa investment promotion board shows that six investment proposals have been approved for the estate, but only half have been awarded plots.The situation contrasts with the state’s high-profile investment promotion campaigns, including Invest Goa and Amazing Goa. Departmental records show that no dedicated estate-specific marketing budget or targeted outreach programme was established for Latambarcem Food Processing Park.
