📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Vyacheslav Argenberg
Local
Goa mandates registration of private shacks in coastal regulation zone with tourism department
✍️ The Economic Times
🗓 03 Sep 2026, 11:33 AM
👁 25
The Goa government has tightened coastal regulations, requiring owners of private shacks in the coastal regulation zone to register with the state tourism department.
The state government of Goa issued a new directive that all private shacks operating within the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) must be formally registered with the Department of Tourism. The order, released this week, aims to bring unregulated structures under official oversight and ensure compliance with environmental norms.
The CRZ, a protected coastal stretch governed by national legislation, restricts construction and commercial activities to safeguard fragile ecosystems. By linking shack owners to the tourism department, authorities intend to monitor occupancy, enforce safety standards, and collect data that can guide future coastal management.
Tourism officials said the move will help regularise the sector, improve visitor experience, and generate revenue through licensing fees. While the exact compliance timeline was not disclosed, the department warned that non‑registered shacks could face penalties or demolition.
Stakeholders, including local vendors and beach‑side entrepreneurs, have expressed concern over the administrative burden but acknowledged the need for clearer regulations to protect Goa’s shoreline.
The CRZ, a protected coastal stretch governed by national legislation, restricts construction and commercial activities to safeguard fragile ecosystems. By linking shack owners to the tourism department, authorities intend to monitor occupancy, enforce safety standards, and collect data that can guide future coastal management.
Tourism officials said the move will help regularise the sector, improve visitor experience, and generate revenue through licensing fees. While the exact compliance timeline was not disclosed, the department warned that non‑registered shacks could face penalties or demolition.
Stakeholders, including local vendors and beach‑side entrepreneurs, have expressed concern over the administrative burden but acknowledged the need for clearer regulations to protect Goa’s shoreline.