THE GOAN NETWORK
PORVORIM
Residents of Alto-Betim have opposed a proposed mega residential project comprising 85 flats and four shops near the Hanuman Temple, alleging that it will worsen traffic congestion and place further strain on the already overburdened infrastructure of the Porvorim plateau.
Addressing a press conference at Alto-Betim, Penha de Franca Sarpanch Swapnil Chodankar said the panchayat had received an application from JB Realtor seeking approval for the project. He said the Town and Country Planning (TCP) Department had already granted permission for the development.
Chodankar alleged that while the permissible Floor Area Ratio (FAR) for residential buildings in Porvorim is 80, the builder had been granted a FAR of 150. He said the panchayat had written to the TCP Department seeking clarification on how the higher FAR was approved but had not received any response.
He further stated that under the Goa Panchayat Raj Act, the panchayat is required to decide on the proposal within 15 days, failing which it would be deemed approved. Chodankar argued that the project would put additional pressure on essential infrastructure, including water and electricity supply.
He claimed that residents of Porvorim currently receive water for barely an hour a day despite the presence of a 15 MLD water treatment plant. If more large-scale projects are permitted, he warned, the water shortage would only worsen.
Chodankar said the panchayat would not grant approval for the project. He added that if higher authorities approved it, he and local residents would stage protests against what they described as unplanned development in the constituency.
Meanwhile, a former Penha de Franca panch member, speaking on condition of anonymity, claimed the project was likely to proceed since the TCP Department had already granted approval. The former member alleged that the panchayat's opposition was merely for public consumption and would eventually be withdrawn, though no evidence was provided to support the claim.
