Posted on September 1, 2025
As Goa’s iconic beaches disappear grain by grain into the Arabian Sea, the state government has launched an ambitious rescue mission to save its tourism lifeline. The Water Resources Department has proposed a comprehensive coastal protection plan targeting erosion-hit beaches from Morjim to Palolem and floated a Request for Proposal for selection of a consultant to design and oversee the critical mitigation measures. With the state’s 105-kilometre coastline under siege from relentless wave action, tidal surges, rising sea levels, and mounting human pressures including unregulated construction and illegal sand mining, this protection plan represents a last-ditch effort to stabilise beaches, protect biodiversity, and safeguard the tourism and fishing livelihoods that form the backbone of Goa’s economy.
The WRD has invited RFP for selection of the consultant for providing Consultancy and Transaction Advisory Services for the Coastal Erosion Mitigation Works. The consultant will be responsible for feasibility studies, preparation of project reports, and bid management for the proposed interventions in key coastal zones across North and South Goa.
In North Goa, proposed interventions include Morjim for shoreline protection and dune rehabilitation, the Calangute-Baga stretch for control of longshore sediment drift and tourism pressure erosion, the Candolim-Sinquerim belt for groyne and revetment-based stabilization, and Vagator-Anjuna for bank toe protection and natural buffer restoration. In South Goa, the plan covers Colva-Betalbatim-Benaulim for beach nourishment and dune fencing, Palolem-Agonda for erosion control with eco-engineering approaches, and Velsao-Utorda for backshore protection and sediment management.
The coastal protection initiative comes as recent studies indicate that 27% of Goa’s beaches are now severely eroded, with the erosion crisis intensifying due to multiple converging factors affecting the state’s 105-kilometre coastline. The State Legislative Assembly recently expressed serious concern over the escalating sand erosion, with popular beaches like Coco in Nerul rapidly vanishing, underscoring the urgent need for intervention.
The initiative follows concerns raised by MLAs across party lines during the recently-concluded assembly session, where legislators urged the government to take immediate steps to protect Goa’s coastline. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant announced that a detailed study would be conducted to identify appropriate technology for coastal protection, with a proposal to be sent to the Union Government for support.
During the assembly discussions, Saligao MLA Kedar Naik highlighted how heavy monsoons had washed away large amounts of sand across the coastal belt from Pernem to Bardez, raising concerns among fishing communities and tourists. “Goa is known for its beaches, and if the government cannot take necessary steps, then these beaches will be washed out, and the tourism and economy of the state will suffer,” Naik warned.
Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao emphasized the impact on fishermen and the environment, calling for strict action against man-made damage along the coastal belt. Other MLAs, including Mandrem’s Jit Arolkar, Calangute’s Michael Lobo, Fatorda’s Vijai Sardesai, and St Andre’s Viresh Borkar, raised specific concerns about erosion in their constituencies and called for nature-based solutions and coordinated action between coastal MLAs and relevant agencies.
The coastal protection plan emerges amid a scientific assessment that has reframed understanding of Goa’s erosion challenge. While coastal erosion affects 34% of the state’s coastline, a government-constituted expert panel has concluded that nine specific beach stretches require urgent intervention measures, but declared the overall situation along Goa’s coastline as “not alarming.” The expert panel’s findings, based on presentations from Chennai’s National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management (NCSCM), National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), National Centre for Coastal Research (NCCR), and ISRO, suggest the crisis can be addressed through targeted interventions rather than emergency-scale responses across the entire coastline.
According to the NCCR, satellite imagery covering 1985-2020 reveals that erosion previously observed at Querim, Mandrem, and Morjim has stabilized, with Morjim now showing accretion through sand accumulation. Simultaneously, the Chennai-based National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) has initiated a bathymetric survey of Goa’s coastal waters, deploying advanced mapping technologies to understand wave impacts and current patterns up to 20 meters offshore depth. This scientific endeavor, operating under the World Bank-funded National Hydrology Project, integrates upstream sediment dynamics within the Mandovi and Zuari river basins with coastal processes, representing a shift from reactive crisis management toward predictive coastal science.
NIOT has identified Ashwem, Coco, and Talpona beaches as priority sites for erosion mitigation and beach restoration, with detailed engineering designs being developed for site-specific interventions. The survey encompasses shoreline change analysis spanning five decades from 1970 to 2024 using high-resolution satellite imagery, providing temporal depth for distinguishing between cyclical natural processes and permanent degradation requiring intervention.
The scientific response includes engagement with Netherlands-based Deltares, which has emphasized the importance of defining clear goals and organizational roles with stakeholders. The state government has approved a pilot project using sand motor technology, the first implementation of Dutch-developed mega nourishment technology in Goa, to protect one selected beach stretch from erosion.
Studies have revealed varying erosion patterns between regions, with South Goa facing more pronounced challenges, where erosion affects 11% of its coastline compared to 6% in the north. However, accretion rates in South Goa remain lower at 1%, while North Goa exhibits a 2% accretion rate. In South Goa, the area between Velsao and Benaulim has experienced both accretion and erosion in cyclical patterns, while the Betalbatim to Cavelossim stretch shows smaller net erosion requiring further investigation rather than immediate intervention.
This approach reflects recognition that coastal preservation is directly linked to economic survival through tourism, with CM Sawant recently warning that “if beaches are not saved, tourists will no longer visit Goa.” The targeted intervention strategy allows for strategic resource allocation while acknowledging that protecting the entire coastline simultaneously would be neither feasible nor necessary.
