Goa TCP Department Greenlights Major Land Conversion Proposals
The Town and Country Planning (TCP) Department in Goa has granted formal approval for eleven distinct zone change proposals, facilitating the transformation of more than 79,000 square meters of land into designated settlement zones. This significant reclassification spans areas within the Bardez and Pernem talukas and was executed under the authority of Section 39A of the Town and Country Planning Act.
Approval Process and Scrutiny
The approvals were finalized only after a rigorous review process conducted by the TCP board. This was followed by the necessary clearance from the state government, which also took into account public objections raised during the statutory consultation period. The official notification highlights that a substantial portion of the land undergoing conversion is concentrated in the Pernem and Bardez regions, continuing a trend where large landholdings are increasingly being repurposed for real estate development.
Major Conversion Projects Detailed
Tivim: The single largest conversion was sanctioned in Tivim, where Green First Estate Pvt Ltd received approval for 50,472 square meters. This parcel includes 43,181 square meters of cultivable land situated within an irrigation command area and an additional 7,291 square meters of playground land. Both categories have been rezoned for settlement use. Any subsequent development on this land will be contingent upon obtaining a no-objection certificate from the water resources department.
Calangute: Another significant approval was granted in Calangute to Coastal Retreats for the conversion of 19,415 square meters located within a heritage landscape zone. The land comprises 18,572 square meters of natural cover, 315 square meters of orchard land, and 528 square meters situated on no-development slopes. This conversion is subject to mandatory clearances from the forest department and the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA).
Penha de Franca: Sky Sun Real Estate secured permission to convert 1,869 square meters of orchard land, which includes areas on no-development slopes, into settlement zone. This approval is also conditional upon receiving forest department clearance.
Additional Approvals Across Talukas
In Pernem taluka, the approved conversions include:
- 4,000 square meters of orchard land in Morjim
- 2,025 square meters of orchard land in Morjim
- 400 square meters in Tuem
Smaller-scale conversions in the Bardez region encompass:
- 915 square meters in Salvador do Mundo
- 425 square meters in Socorro
- 95 square meters in Nerul
- Additional parcels ranging between 210 and 495 square meters in various adjoining villages
Ongoing Concerns and Official Stance
The notification further points to incremental land conversions occurring in neighboring Bardez villages, where multiple small parcels are being systematically reclassified for settlement purposes. While TCP officials maintain that all such proposals are processed strictly in accordance with due procedure and statutory checks, concerns persist among stakeholders and local residents. These apprehensions primarily revolve around the cumulative environmental impact on local ecology and the strain on existing infrastructure capacity resulting from such widespread land use changes.
