Today it is all about hanging in there and hoping that the good days return. A bit like the Indian team you will agree. However what has also added to the sense of despair for builders in the state is the confusion and delay over the regional plan which has affected projects especially those that require panchayat approvals.
Desh Prabhudessai the Chairman of the Goa Chapter of CREDAI felt that work on projects were still going on and he had not heard of any that was disrupted due to the delay in sorting out the Regional plan imbroglio.
At present he said they were following the old regional plan and had incorporated elements from the new one but it would be nice if the government decided on the plan so that those who may be contemplating projects in areas where there could be disputes would know where they stood.
Asked if there was a potential for mischief in terms of corruption he claimed it was just not possible for it to flourish. He said that if an area was termed agricultural, then it could not be changed by anyone. He however bemoaned the fact that no one seemed to think beyond their panchayat or their town resulting in the state suffering. A leader who was a visionary was needed to sort this out.
Another builder who did not want to be named and who had several ongoing projects slammed the administration for the mess saying it was sad how bad corruption had become.
He said “You have to pay Rs 50,000 for a villa to clear your papers, a fee of Rs 10,000 or Rs 15000 for a flat or even up to Rs 25,000 if the flat is big.”
If you don’t pay then the queries will continue for months. Eventually you are then asked to meet the big guns who will then present the facts to you ie the monies required.”
He went on to say that every project in the state had been paid, for it to reach the final constructed and occupied by owner stage. The delay in the Regional Plan, he said made good business sense because the confusion helped the concerned people make money hand over fist. Harsh words perhaps but not a sentiment shared by Kula Shaker of Milroc.
He said “I have not faced any problems possibly because of the areas where I have had my projects. I have not heard of anyone facing problems.”
Arney Naik of Shoolin Developers said he had not experienced any problems but a family friend who had purchased land in what was termed as settlement and orchid as per the old plan was now stuck with the new plan labelling it as orchid. This person he said wanted to build six units for his family on land that measured approximately 40,000 sq mts. He hoped the Regional plan would be pushed forward so that people now stuck would know their fate instead of hanging on without knowing what their fate was.
Dipesh Cholera another builder felt that it would make sense for builders who had property in rural areas and were presently stuck to know what the decision was.
This issue was a sticky subject with several other builders not willing to come on record claiming that it did not pay to anger the government in power. The issue of corruption they said had to be handled because the cost of construction being what it was in Goa, the profit margins were reducing also very fast.
Business they felt would rebound in a couple of months but these systematic flaws had to be tackled before it enveloped the entire industry.
