In a strong show of unity, the villagers of Telaulim, during their gram sabha, unanimously opposed construction projects with a Floor Area Ratio (FAR) of 100.
The meeting, chaired by Sarpanch Freney Barreto, concluded that the existing FAR of 60 was more suitable considering the carrying capacity of the village.
Villagers expressed concern that increasing the FAR would burden the existing infrastructure, including power supply, water, roads, and waste management systems. The gram sabha directed the Sarpanch to forward a resolution to the Town and Country Planning (TCP) Department, officially stating the panchayat’s refusal to issue licenses for projects with 100 FAR. Deputy Sarpanch Steven Goes assured that the decision would be communicated to the concerned authorities at the earliest.
The meeting also addressed the issue of illegal structures along National Highway 66. It was noted that the Public Works Department (PWD) had earlier written to the panchayat seeking inspections and documentation of the structures.
Based on the joint inspection, it was clarified that most commercial structures along the stretch do not fall within government-acquired land, except for a portion of a structure belonging to one local resident, which lies within PWD-acquired land.
However, the inspection also confirmed that all these structures are within the mandatory 40-metre setback from the centreline of the Right of Way (RoW) of NH-66, raising concerns about compliance with safety norms. Deputy Sarpanch Goes informed villagers about the findings and assured that the panchayat would follow up with the relevant authorities.
In addition, villagers resolved to protect open spaces from potential misuse in the future, with the panchayat promising to initiate steps to prevent unauthorized activities and safeguard public land.