MARGAO
The Public Works Department's (PWD) move to take over the construction of the long-delayed Kabrastan at Sonsodo has rekindled hopes within the Muslim community that the much-awaited burial ground project may finally see the light of day.
However, even as the project gathers momentum, the PWD is likely to confront a crucial planning and regulatory hurdle that has remained unresolved for years. The central question before the PWD and the State government is whether there has been any change in the developable area of the 30,191-square-metre property acquired by the Margao Municipal Council (MMC) over a decade and a half ago.
The issue assumes significance in light of an earlier technical report which concluded that only a small portion of the acquired land, around 2,500 square metres, to be precise, is fit for development under the existing Town and Country Planning (TCP) Rules and Regulations.
The MMC had acquired the Sonsodo property in November 2011 with the objective of developing a spacious burial ground for the Muslim community. Despite the acquisition and repeated assurances over the years, the project has remained stalled, primarily due to technical and regulatory constraints, besides a lack of political will.
The controversy centres around the report prepared by consultant Rahul Deshpande, who was appointed by the Goa State Urban Development Agency (GSUDA) to examine the feasibility of constructing the Kabrastan and recommend a way forward.
Deshpande's findings were unequivocal. According to the report, only around 2,500 square metres of the total acquired land can presently be developed for the proposed burial ground. The consultant observed that the remaining portion of the property comprises steep slopes with gradients exceeding 25 per cent, rendering it non-developable under the prevailing TCP Rules and Regulations.
The findings have now thrown up a critical question for the PWD as it prepares to execute the project. Will the department proceed with the burial ground by utilising only the 2,500-square-metre developable portion, or will it recommend amendments or relaxations to the TCP regulations to enable development over a larger area of the acquired land?
The issue is expected to test the government's resolve in finding a lasting solution to a project that has been delayed for nearly 15 years. Any move to relax planning norms is likely to invite scrutiny, particularly since the restrictions are based on environmental and topographical considerations governing hill slopes and ecologically sensitive terrain.
The consultant report states that only the lower part (south side) of the acquired plot is developable after substantial land development and hill cutting, implying that only 2,500 square metres will be available for development.
Officials pointed out that unless the planning constraints are addressed, the objective behind the acquisition of the entire 30,191-square-metre property may remain only partially fulfilled.
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What the 2023 consultant's report says
A feasibility report prepared by Rahul Deshpande & Associates on January 19, 2023 highlighted several challenges facing the proposed Sonsodo kabrastan project:
• Of the 30,191 sq m land acquired by the MMC, only about 2,500 sq m is presently fit for development.
• Most of the land consists of steep slopes, making it non-developable under existing Town and Country Planning (TCP) rules.
• The consultant said only the lower portion of the property could be developed after substantial land levelling and hill cutting.
• Development on the remaining land would require relaxation of certain TCP rules and regulations.
• The report also noted that the acquired land has no independent access road, with the existing approach being used for the Christian cemetery.
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Unanswered questions linger over Sonsodo land acquisition
MARGAO: The Margao Municipal Council's (MMC) decision to acquire a 30,191-square-metre property at Sonsodo in 2011 for the proposed burial ground has come under renewed scrutiny, with questions being raised over whether the acquisition was carried out without adequately assessing the ground realities and planning regulations.
The acquisition has also thrown up another anomaly. Besides the land earmarked for the proposed burial ground, the MMC had acquired an existing access road leading to the Christian cemetery. Although the Church authorities have since agreed to provide land for the construction of a dedicated access road to the burial ground, this development has raised fresh questions about the process adopted by the civic body.
A senior government official said these discrepancies have reignited concerns over whether the Margao Municipal Council had carried out adequate due diligence before proceeding with the land acquisition. "The fact that the MMC acquired the existing cemetery access road for the proposed burial ground itself indicates that the civic authorities did not do their homework properly," the official said.
The official further questioned how the planning implications of the 30,191-square-metre property escaped the attention of the civic administration. "It is surprising that the applicable TCP rules and guidelines were apparently overlooked. If a major portion of the acquired land cannot be developed because of planning restrictions, the obvious question is why the civic body proceeded with the acquisition in the first place," the official added.
