PANAJI
“The issue of creating SPS and SPC zones is welcome in principle, but the methodology of identifying the blocks and or clusters require to be thought of on a holistic view point looking into aspects of urban form and continuity of contextual streetscape of the capital city of Panaji,” IIA-Goa Chapter has stated in a detailed submission before NGPDA.
They, however, cautioned that a "community action planning approach should be brought into place whereby this kind of practice whose purpose is to inform policy from the grassroots” and that the “qualifying criteria for Special Zones linked to the redevelopment urban domains need to be spelt out clearly to facilitate appropriate planning placement and infrastructure requirements.”
They have said that the changes, while being welcome, “needs to be justified to avoid undue criticism.”
The IIA has also pointed out anomalies and errors visible in the draft ODP which they say need to be corrected, including high FAR proposed for properties on sloping lands, some of which are too steep to be considered feasible for construction, and that a number of open spaces have not been indicated while a few occupied spaces are represented as recreational.
“Similarly, road access to a number of properties have not been indicated although they have been re-assigned higher FARs,” IIA's submission reads.
Earlier, Goa Bachao Abhiyan had hit out at the proposed changes to the ODP saying that the plans are arbitrary. It pointed out that the introduction of SPS and SPC of 200 and 300 FAR respectively brings character to city blocks with a host of other mandatory infrastructural requirements, but this is definitely not done on arbitrary plots in the middle of other zones.
“Strangely, one reason given for such drastic additional FAR has been the declining population of Panaji, which reduced from 59,066 in 2001 to 40,017 in 2011. Such linear thinking is extremely dangerous,” the GBA said.
Reduced green spaces, especially in Ribandar, while heritage areas on the Mandovi river front opposite the ferry have been removed from conservation.
“Blanket statements of how these 'minor areas have no conservation value' despite housing the iconic Mandovi hotel, the Dom Lourenço Chapel and the Café Real building, suggest ignorance and no consultation with conservation bodies,” GBA said.
