Goa nightclub fire: Structure built without licence, says panchayat head
There were complaints against the club and when we conducted an inquiry, we found that there was no construction licence, Arpora village’s panchayat head said
Panaji: A fire that tore through Birch by Romeo Lane, a nightclub in Arpora village of north Goa, on the intervening night of Saturday and Sunday killing 25 people has drawn attention to the establishment’s ‘illegal’ operations after Arpora panchayat head Roshan Redkar said the structure housing the club was built without a construction licence.
“There were complaints against the club and when we conducted an inquiry, we found that there was no construction licence. We had issued a demolition notice after following due process. However, the demolition notice was stayed upon appeal,” Redkar said.
According to the Goa Panchayati Raj Act, a person aggrieved by a decision taken by a local government body has a right to first file an appeal before the directorate of Panchayats, and a deputy director, who functions as a quasi-judicial officer, can either uphold or overturn the panchayat’s decision.
“This club is being run by Saurabh Luthra. There was a dispute between him and the landowners, as also a dispute between him and his business partners, which had led to complaints against the establishment,” Redkar said.
Meanwhile, Goa chief minister Pramod Sawant said he had ordered a magisterial inquiry. “I have ordered a magisterial inquiry into the entire incident to identify the cause and fix responsibility,” Sawant said via X (formerly Twitter).
Romeo Lane, a nightclub in Goa, was operating on the borderlines of the law. Constructed on what was once a saltpan — considered an eco-sensitive site on which no construction is allowed — it also falls under the regime of the Coastal Regulation Zone notification, which bans construction in the intertidal zone, including saltpans.
The Opposition parties in the state have called for the dismissal of the state government and demanded a judicial inquiry into allowing the illegal establishment to operate.
“This horrific incident is not an accident — it is the direct result of the complete collapse of governance, regulatory oversight, and public safety under the BJP government led by Chief Minister Dr. Pramod Sawant. For years, the Congress Party has repeatedly warned the government about rampant illegalities, unregulated nightlife operations, violations of safety norms, and the deep nexus between the ruling establishment and certain commercial interests. Yesterday’s tragedy is the inevitable outcome of this criminal negligence,” State Congress president Amit Patkar said.
“The Government failed to protect lives. Why were establishments allowed to operate without basic safety compliance? Who granted licenses and permissions without due verification? Why has the BJP government turned Goa’s tourism sector into a lawless, unsafe environment driven by vested interests? This tragedy exposes a total administrative collapse, and a complete failure of the Home Department, Tourism Department, and Goa Police,” the party also said, calling for “moral accountability at the highest level.”
“The Congress has sought a judicial inquiry headed by a sitting High Court judge. Immediate suspension and arrest of officials responsible for granting illegal permissions. Full public disclosure of all licenses, safety audits, and inspection reports of the club,” Patkar also said.
Meanwhile, the Prime Minister’s Office has announced an ex-gratia relief of ₹2 lakh to those killed in the incident and ₹50,000 for those injured.
“An ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh from PMNRF will be given to the next of kin of each deceased in the mishap in Arpora, Goa. The injured would be given Rs. 50,000,” the PMO said in a tweet on X (formerly Twitter).
