PANJIM: Notwithstanding the opposition by the ruling City Corporation council, the Town and Country Planning (TCP) Board has accorded approval to the draft Outline Development Plan (ODP) 2021 for Panjim that proposes special settlement/residential and commercial zone with 200 percent and 300 percent Floor Area Ratio (FAR) respectively.
The ongoing construction of a third bridge over the River Mandovi, the footbridge over Rua de Ourem creek, Mala bridge and proposed ropeway from Panjim to Reis Magos and the football stadium at parade ground has been incorporated in the draft ODP. The flyover proposed earlier in ODP 2011 has been deleted in view of the construction of third bridge over river Mandovi.
The CCP ruling council has raised strong objections to the draft ODP claiming that the civic body was not consulted while preparing the draft and that it is against identification of new zones.
The TCP board meeting held last week granted its nod to the draft ODP while recommending to the North Goa Planning and Development Authority (NGPDA) to introduce necessary amendments to the Goa Land Development and Building Construction Regulations, 2010 for increase in FAR.
As per the details submitted by NGPDA, a public notice regarding addition and alteration to Panjim ODP was published and the authority had received 274 applications from the public. A sub-committee headed by Panjim MLA Siddharth Kuncolienkar was
constituted to undertake the necessary changes in the ODP.
During the meeting, NGPDA proposed two new land zones in the ODP that is Special Residential Zone with 200 percent FAR and Special Commercial Zone with 300 percent FAR. “The Chief Town Planner informed that the proposal involves amendment to the existing regulations as there is no provision of 200 FAR for residential and 300 FAR for commercial,” the minutes of the meeting states.
Special Settlement Zone: Since the FAR has been increased to 200 percent, which is equivalent to FAR of C1 zone, the access road shall be maintained as required for C1 zone that is 10 metres right of way. However, the same would be relaxed for re-development, where there is no scope of expansion of existing six metres road.
Special Commercial Zone: The proposal approved subject to maintaining minimum 10 metres front setback and following all other provisions as per existing special commercial zone. In case of redevelopment the same would be relaxed.
The draft ODP proposes two multi-storey parking facilities in the city – the current Food Corporation of India premises near Junta House and government garages and petrol pump premises on the 18 June road, as the city is in drastic need of resolving parking crisis.
The ODP has also proposed re-drawing of conservation boundary of Panjim, Ribandar, Mala and Altinho which is in the periphery of the conservation boundary, since the building there does not have the conservation element.
Demarcation of multi-level car park facility near Santa Monica jetty as commercial zone and reclassification of KTC bus stand as commercial C-1 zone instead of traffic and transportation sone, has been highlighted in the ODP.
