MARGAO
The South Goa Planning and Development Authority (SGPDA) has set in motion the process to formulate a new Outline Development Plan (ODP) for Margao, but a simple question to be answered“ is the planning body only rectifying the road widths or including missing ones. Is there something more than meets the eye?
PDA officials maintained the draft ODP prepared by the SGPDA does not contain any proposal for change in zones and has only proposed corrections and rectifications to the roads shown in the ODP 2028, which was notified around two and half years ago on March 7, 2019.
This has thrown up a debatable question whether the process to prepare the new ODP, undertaken before the 10-year horizon period, is being initiated just to correct the road widths or include the missing ones in the plan. Or, will the proposals to effect changes in the zones will come at a later date when the draft ODP is accepted by the TCP Board and notified for public suggestions and objections.
SGPDA Chairman, MLA Wilfred D’Sa, said that complaints received by the PDA that some were not shown and the width of other roads did not reflect on the ODP 2028 has been taken up in the draft ODP. “There were around 60-65 complaints received by the SGPDA when the ODP 2028 was notified. PDA officials have carried out the inspections and the MLAs of Margao, Fatorda and Ponda will hold inspections in the next two days before the draft ODP is forwarded to the Chief Town Planner,” D’Sa said after a meeting of the SGPDA on Tuesday that gave the nod to submit the draft ODP to the TCP.
The draft ODP is expected to be placed before the TCP Board meeting on September 20. If everything goes well, the draft ODP will be notified and kept open for 60 days to accept public objections and suggestions.
Planning officials said it is to be seen whether proposals for change in zones, which had in the past come under public scanner, will be taken up during the 60-day period.
Margao MLA and Leader of Opposition Digambar Kamat said members have made it clear there should be no proposal for change in zones in the draft ODP. In fact, Kamat gave an impression there was no need for the new ODP since the SGPDA had notified the present ODP 2028 just two and half years ago.
He, however, hastened to add that the PDA had to go by the government directives. “The PDA has consulted the municipal bodies and has prepared the draft ODP. The MLAs along with officials
will inspect the roads in the next two days before the draft is forwarded to the CTP,” Kamat added.
