ONGC adds 4,000-seater convention centre in Goa, eyes Filmfare-scale events

New Delhi: Overlooking the Arabian Sea and just a 15-minute ferry ride away from leading beachside resorts, a 4,000-seat convention centre has been built in pristine south Goa to host large conferences and marquee events, including Filmfare-scale award functions.

State-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) has an Advanced Training Institute (ATI) at Betul in South Goa for training its personnel in safety and HSE practices. Its campus is spread over 1 million square metres, or roughly 250-270 acres, with the training centre being housed in a small portion.

Back in 2023, a make-shift conference centre at the unused portion of the vast land at ATI hosted a second edition of India Energy Week, as convention centres that could hold an event of that size elsewhere in the country were unavailable. And there germinated the idea of building a permanent facility to add another chapter to Goa's tourism.

Before the fourth edition of IEW at the end of January this year, the convention centre was ready, senior officials said.

The upgraded campus now includes a 4,000-seat oval-shaped convention centre, a permanent exhibition hall and a management development facility, with a combined built-up area of about 39,000 square metres.

The facility is connected to beachside resorts via a 15-minute ferry ride, providing direct access from key hospitality hubs, they said.

"IEW is one event, but the facility is available for anyone wishing to host large conferences and award shows," an official said.

"Goa is India's best-known tourist hotspot, and we built this convention and exhibition facility at the ATI campus with a view to positioning the state as a venue for large conferences and marquee events."

The facility is expected to host large national and international events, including film and entertainment award shows, officials said.

The oval-shaped Convention Centre has a seating capacity of around 4,000 people at a time. It comprises a VVIP room, a VVIP green room, two VIP rooms, two VIP lounges, the CEO's meeting room, 5 CEO's translator rooms, bilateral rooms, office spaces, 3 lounges, dining hall, dry pantries, elevators/escalators and a large foyer.

The 8,353 sq metres rectangular-shaped Management Development Facility (MDF) comprises office space, dining hall, conference rooms, 182 seater auditorium, VIP Lounge, office rooms, breakout rooms, 8 syndicate rooms, and 11 classrooms, while the 6,669 sq metre exhibition hall is designed to accommodate large trade fairs and expos.

The campus also features a floating jetty and a helipad with four parking points, providing connectivity by sea, air and road. The jetty connects the venue to all leading hotels and resorts on the 15-km beachline in South Goa.

"It takes just a maximum of 15 minutes to reach ATI," an official said, adding that VVIPs attending the IEW 2026 used small ferry boats to reach the venue in 5 minutes, and the jetty is designed to accommodate bigger ferries as well.

Supporting infrastructure includes centralised air-conditioning, power backup, solid waste management systems and a zero-liquid-discharge facility.

ATI Goa houses India's largest 'behind-the-meter' 5 megawatt microgrid, integrating rooftop and ground-mounted solar installations, a vertical-axis wind turbine and an 11.128 megawatt-hour lithium-ion battery energy storage system.

The campus is equipped with Wi-Fi connectivity, fire safety systems, landscaped green areas and parking facilities.

Officials said ONGC plans to partner with MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions) domain experts for operations, marketing and revenue generation.

The project aligns with the Ministry of Tourism's efforts to promote business tourism and Goa's plans to expand its profile as a destination for large conferences and events beyond leisure travel, they added.