GBA voices anger over two additional land use zones

panaji
The Convenor of Goa Bachao Abhiyan (GBA), Sabina Martins, has come out strongly against special residential zones and special commercial zones, which are set to get incorporated in all outline development plans (ODPs) in the state.  
Last week, the Department of Town and Country Planning (TCP) had made an amendment due to which ODPs in Goa will have two additional land use zones, one special residential zone (with floor-area-ratio of 200%) and another special commercial zone (with FAR 300%). In simple words, this amendment will allow people to build more floors on the existing plots.  
Martins said, “We are totally opposed to this move of the state government. We have always maintained that planning is done with a purpose. But, here, we see a contradiction. In Panaji, the government has taken schools out of the city for de-congestion. Now, it is giving more FAR, which will mean more floors and more people and therefore more congestion.”  
A number of prominent architects too had spoken against giving more FAR under these two zones. Their point was that the state government has to take into consideration infrastructure like quality and width of roads, power and water availability, among many other aspects before allowing more FAR because it will bring more people to the cities.  
Martins continued, “While giving more FAR, the government is not considering how it will affect quality of life in the state. We have even raised the concerns that how fire safety will be taken care of with higher FAR.”  
Martins further questioned the very basis of giving 200% FAR for special residential zones and 300% FAR for special commercial zones.  
She continued, “During Christmas time, we had traffic jams in Panaji. Now if you give more FAR, the city will get only more congested. They have to look into these issues.”