MARGAO
The Kabrastan proposed at Sonsodo by the Margao Municipal Council for the Muslim community has ended in a deadlock over the million-dollar question on the contentious issue of the approach road to the acquired property.
Rahul Deshpande & Associates, the consultant engaged by Goa State Urban Development Agency (GSUDA), which has been appointed by the High Court to execute the burial ground project, has made it categorically clear that the Detailed Project Report (DPR) will be worked out only when the access road issue is resolved by the Margao Municipal Council (MMC).
The issue at hand is the road access to the acquired property at Sonsodo admeasuring 30,000 square metres.
It has come to light through a survey conducted by the Consultant in January last that the approach road to the acquired plot is in the possession of the Christian cemetery and is being used by them.
Blame it on the MMC or otherwise, the civic body, while acquiring the land for the Kabrastan way back in 2011, did not acquire a separate plot to build an approach road to gain access to the Kabrastan land. Instead, the municipality is believed to have acquired the existing road access to the cemetery, resulting in the present deadlock over the access road.
To tide over the problem of road access and given the sensitive nature of the issue, the Consultant has made a host of recommendations to the GSUDA, including building a ramp/bridge, which will cost the civic body or the government a bomb.
Rough estimates prepared by the Consultant and contained in the report submitted to the GSUDA show that it may approximately cost Rs 8-10 crore, further stating that the exact cost can be worked out only after the survey.
In the alternative, the Consultant is believed to have given other options to GSUDA to explore and resolve the row. Instead of building a ramp/bridge at Rs 8-10 crore, the Consultant has recommended that the access can be given a lift (elevator) and staircase along with a generator, which could be practical in such circumstances and which would approximately cost Rs 1.5 crore as against the cost of Rs 8-10 crore required for a ramp/bridge.
Another recommendation is to approach the Christian cemetery officials and bring to their attention the road access issue.
The Consultant has further recommended that the area in possession of the Christian cemetery needs to be surveyed for exact levels to be taken since the property is presently locked.
With no road to property, DPR cannot be prepared
MARGAO
A provision of 284 graves can be made in the Kabrastan along with a prayer room, Wazr Khana, Janaza store, Guzul proposed at Sonsodo, informed Consultant Rahul Deshpande & Associates.
In a report submitted to the Goa State Urban Development Agency (GSUDA), the Consultant stated that though the design of the Kabrastan area is complete, there is no access to the property and hence the DPR cannot be prepared as the major issues, the access road is in the possession of Christian cemetery officials, and more so the road location, which should have been retained as a sloping plot has been cut approximately by 16 m and made flat, making it challenging to give access to the Kabrastan.
The Consultant report further stated that the survey conducted on-site on January 13, 2023, with police protection indicated that the plot is sloping, with a gradient higher than 25 degrees.
A survey report compiled by the GSUDA Consultant Rahul Deshpande in January categorically stated that the majority of the acquired land admeasuring 30,145 square metres had a gradient higher than 25 per cent and can't be developed under present Town and Country Planning Rules and regulations.
The survey report, which was submitted to the High Court in a Public Interest Litigation has further categorically stated that parts of the remaining plot can be developed if certain rules and regulations of Town and Country Planning are relaxed.
GSUDA to place consultant's report before HC
MARGAO
Goa State Urban Development Agency (GSUDA) officials have said the agency will place the Consultant’s report, its findings and the recommendations before the High Court.
Saying the Margao Municipal Council will be told to explore the options recommended by the consultant to work out an amicable solution to the vexed issue, a GSUDA official conceded that construction of the ramp/bridge will cost a bomb and it isn’t clear whether it would serve the purpose of an access road to the Kabrastan site.
“The Margao Municipal Council should also try and work out an amicable solution by engaging with the officials of the Christian cemetery as per the Consultant’s recommendations,” the official said.
He added: “The agency will place the recommendations made by the Consultant as well as a status report on the construction of the Karbastan at Sonsodo at the next date of the hearing scheduled in May.”
