TCP re-submits file to govt with remark that permission granted to developer conforms to building regulations
File photo of Carmona Raheja property
MARGAO
The ball is back in the court of the government to resolve the Raheja housing project imbroglio with the Margao office of the Town & Country Planning department re-submitting the file to the government with a remark that the permission granted to the Mumbai-estate developer conforms to the building regulations.
TCP officials, however, remained tightlipped over the oft-repeated question whether the road access to the Raheja property, especially between the 73-meter narrow stretch, is adequate enough for two, four-wheelers to cross at one time.
Sources in the TCP office said that Senior Town Planner James Mathew has re-submitted the file back to the Chief Town Planner, who in turn is expected to forward the file to the Chief Secretary, who is also holding charge as Secretary, TCP.
It is learnt that the Senior Town Planner has re-submitted the file with a remark that the approval granted to the 88 bungalows conforms to the building regulations in view of the exemption granted by the government in situations when the road access is less than 75 meters. In the instant case, since the problematic road access is around 73 meters, TCP officials have stated that the permission granted to the Raheja project conforms to the building regulations.
On the ground, however, the concerns raised by the villagers and the planners continued to remain unattended. The Secretary, TCP Perimal Rai had in his first noting on the Raheja file had put a remark stating that the proposal for construction of 88 bungalows in the property is a very high number for such a narrow road.
Officials, in private admitted that the amendment to the building rules has not changed the ground reality vis-à-vis the road access, though it only helped the TCP to clear the housing project citing the government’s approval for the Raheja project.
A TCP official said it is now purely for the government to take a call on the housing project, whether to give them the green signal to start the construction work or to direct the project promoter not to commence any further activity until further orders.
The Margao office of the TCP had in October proposed to the government to keep the project on hold till the concerns raised by the agitating villagers are addressed. The file, however, was sent back by the TCP secretary back to the Margao office with a query on the road access to the Raheja property, which has been re-submitted by the TCP office stating that the road access and the permission granted to the project conforms to the building regulations.
