Goa seals Vagator nightclub built on farmland after Arpora fire tragedy

Panaji: In a continued enforcement drive following the tragic nightclub fire in Arpora that claimed 25 lives, authorities on Thursday sealed Goya The Night Club at Vagator in North Goa on the grounds that it was constructed on agricultural land, officials said.

The action was taken under an order issued by the mamlatdar (revenue official) of Bardez taluka, a senior official told reporters. The nightclub was built on farmland without the necessary change of land use to permit commercial activity, the official said.

While the establishment has been sealed, the owner has been given seven days to submit a response to the authorities, the official added. Members of the nightclub’s management were not available for comment.

Why was the crackdown ordered?

Chief Minister Pramod Sawant had directed state administration to take strict action against nightclubs operating illegally or in violation of safety norms in the wake of the Birch by Romeo Lane fire in Arpora, which occurred in the early hours of 6 December and resulted in at least 25 deaths, including staff and tourists.

The blaze at Birch by Romeo Lane, triggered during a late-night event, highlighted serious safety and regulatory lapses such as the absence of adequate emergency exits and unclear land-use status of the venue, leading the government to tighten enforcement against non-compliant entertainment venues across the coastal state.

What has been happening across Goa?

The sealing of Goya The Night Club forms part of a broader push to tackle illegal structures and strengthen safety compliance. In a related action earlier this week, authorities demolished an allegedly unauthorised beach shack linked to the same nightclub group in Vagator, reclaiming encroached land as part of enforcement against repeated illegal construction.

Officials have also banned the use of fireworks and pyrotechnics in nightclubs, hotels and other tourist spots in North Goa as a precautionary measure following the deadly blaze. The order applies to all entertainment establishments in the district to prevent similar fire hazards.

Investigations into the Arpora fire continue, with Goa police making several arrests of management staff and issuing warrants against the club’s owners, who fled the country shortly after the incident. Courts have denied interim protection to the owners, and deportation proceedings are in progress. 

(With agency inputs)