Development on 50% of open space in industrial areas gets nod

PANJIM: In the larger interest of industrial growth, the department of Town and Country Planning (TCP) has granted in-principle approval to Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) for utilisation cum development of 50 per cent of the open spaces in the industrial areas. The TCP Board meeting, chaired by Deputy Chief Minister Francis D’Souza, granted the nod subject to the department physically verifying the open spaces. Chief Town Planner ST Putturaju said IDC had put up a proposal that of the 15 per cent area reserved as open space, 7.5 per cent be allowed to be developed as industrial plots. “The permission was granted by the board in the larger interest of industrial growth,” he said. “With the government intending to promote Goa as an investment destination, there is huge difficulty in acquiring land. Hence we decided to allow intensive usage of land,” he said. Putturaju said that permission has been granted subject to proper verification by the department.  As per Goa (Regulations of Land Development and Building Construction) Act 2008, of the total 15 per cent reserved open spaces 7.5 per cent is to be developed as recreational open spaces and balance 7.5 per cent as general pool parking which is open to the sky and shall not be built upon. With land constraint being a major hurdle in the way of promoting Goa as an industrial hub by bringing in Rs 25,000 crore in investment, IDC wants to utilise open spaces in industrial areas for development of plots. IDC has identified some 12 lakh sq mtrs of open space for the purpose.