Team Herald
PANJIM: Minister for Town and Country Planning (TCP) Vishwajit Rane’s decision has been backed by the architects as well as real estate developers, who believe that the move will help in ensuring sustainable planning within ambit of town planning rules.
Rane said that the government wants to get in place merit-oriented and perfectly documented plans that revolve around pure interest of concerned planning area to the core.
In a notification issued on Wednesday, the final ODPs of Parra-Arpora-Nagoa, Calangute-Candolim and Vasco have been suspended pending scrutiny. Similarly, the draft ODPs of Panjim, Kadamba Plateau, Mapusa, Margao and Ponda have been kept on hold for a period of 60 days.
As per the notification the Regional Plan 2021 will be applicable for planning areas where the ODPs have been cancelled while for Vasco, the ODP 2026 will be applicable.
The Arpora-Nagoa-Parra ODP — notified in July 2021 and Candolim-Calangute ODP in December 2018 — were initiated when Calangute MLA Michael Lobo was chairman of the North Goa Planning and Development Authority (NGPDA). The ODPs, which were strongly opposed by cross sections, were also challenged in the High Court.
The ODP for Vasco, notified in December 2021, pending matter in the Court, was prepared when Carlos Almeida, headed the Mormugao planning and development authority (MPDA).
Lobo and Almeida, both switched their loyalty, from BJP to Congress just before February 2022 Assembly elections.
Speaking to Herald, Architect Dean D’Cruz said that it’s a very good decision and need of the hour as the ODPs were prepared without planning process and against the basic principles of town planning.
“It wasn’t made as per the regional plan. Lot of high density areas were marked randomly…higher FAR,” he said.
D’Cruz said that the plans should be now done with proper planning and following all the procedure including taking the stakeholders into confidence.
Another Architect Tulio D’Souza, while in-principle welcomed the decision to redraw or revive the plans, said that planning being an inclusive process all the stakeholders should be taken into confidence and also on board while preparing it because ODP has not only sustainable development but also involves people, environment and ecology.
Hence, he demanded that on the committee, appointed to revive the plan, a representation should be given to farmer, Comunidade and green activist.
CREDAI-Goa Joint secretary Avez Azim Shaikh believed that the decision is bold and a proactive step.
“We should look forward to better planned and layed out city and towns. It’s a step in right direction,” he said.
The CREDAI has got representation in the committee.
Risara Properties Gaurang Suctancar said that one need to improve processes and create inclusive policies that is beneficial to all — the State, economy and stakeholders, both the notified and draft plans, in order to weed out discrepancies.
