PANAJI: Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation (GSIDC) has restarted the negotiations to build the new Captain of Ports (CoP) terminal building. According to officials, the project came to a standstill after the implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime which disrupted financial projections for the project.Sources said that tender has been issued and that a new contractor would be brought in to build the terminal, which will be designed in the replica of a ship.“The project is definitely on. I’ve been informed that the estimates are getting revised because of GST,” an official with CoP department said. “The chief minister is aware of the issue and he may take it up now that he is back.”The ambitious project to build a new terminal on the newly constructed CoP jetty has been stuck since late 2015. Initially, the project was stalled due to a delay in obtaining permissions from the Corporation of the City of Panaji , Goa State Pollution Control Board and Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority. Just as the permissions came through, the implementation of GST and the confusion surrounding input tax credit and the correct tax rate to be levied sent pricing calculations for a toss, say GSIDC officials.Once the new terminal is ready, all shipping-related government offices such as customs, coastal police and other stakeholders will operate under a single roof. The entire office of the CoP is likely to be moved to the proposed terminal building. Currently, traders and shippers have a tough time processing documents as all offices connected to their area of operation are not centrally located.

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