NGPDA told to redraft Panaji, Mapusa ODP

PANAJI: The outline development plan (ODP) and land use map for Panaji and Mapusa will be redrafted just over two years after they were notifying by the North Goa Planning and Development Authority (NGPDA).

The state government has issued directions to the NGPDA to revise the ODP and prepare the land use map and land use register for Mapusa and Panaji, said chief town planner Rajesh Naik.
The town and country planning (TCP) department has directed the NGPDA to follow the procedure laid down by the Town and Country Planning Act.
TCP minister Vijay Sardesai had said a uniform process had to be followed while drafting all ODPs in the state and this included preparation of a land use register, land maps and a draft ODP. This procedure, he said, was not followed by NGPDA.
Sardesai had informed the legislative assembly that, since the NGPDA had not followed due process while drafting the plans, the ODPs would be scrapped and fresh ODPs would be prepared.
The Panaji and Mapusa ODP were notified in December 2016 but in August 2018, Sardesai announced that the TCP board had decided to restart the process.
NGPDA has accepted the state government’s decision and will begin the process to prepare the fresh land use maps and plans.
The Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) had also challenged the Panaji ODP 2021 before the Goa bench of the high court of Bombay since the CCP had not given its approval.
The Panaji ODP 2021 had increased FAR from existing 100 (S-1) and 0.80% (S-2) to 200 in the settlement zone, while 300 is recommended in the commercial zone against the existing FAR of 200 (C-1).
The Panaji ODP had shown 1,39,100 sqm of settlement land as commercial zone and 20,568 sqm of orchard land as settlement and commercial zone.