CRZ clearance granted despite pending EIA; experts warn of ecological risks
PANAJI
In a move likely to raise environmental concerns, the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) has granted Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) clearance to the long-delayed twin towers project atop the new Zuari Bridge despite the mandatory Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) study still being incomplete.
At its meeting held last month, the authority also resolved to recommend the Rs 270-crore project to the Goa State Expert Appraisal Committee (SEAC) under the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) for environmental clearance (EC), based on clarifications submitted by the Public Works Department (PWD), the nodal agency.
The project, proposed by Dilip Buildcon, was initially slated to begin post-monsoon and be completed within three years of commencement. However, during its December 24, 2025 meeting, GCZMA had explicitly directed the proponent to submit the EIA report and present a detailed assessment of environmental impacts and applicable CRZ norms before any further approvals.
During the meeting, the authority acknowledged that the EIA report is yet to be submitted. Nevertheless, it proceeded to recommend the project for EC, subject to strict compliance with the provisions of the CRZ Notification, 2011 (as amended).
“All provisions of the CRZ notification must be strictly adhered to. The applicant, owner, architect, consultant, builder, and occupier will be held liable for any violations,” the GCZMA stated.
The authority has also directed the project proponent to secure all necessary permissions, including Consent to Establish and Operate from the Goa State Pollution Control Board, as well as approvals from other relevant departments such as the forest department.
An inspection report by expert members has flagged that the project site falls within multiple ecologically sensitive zones—CRZ-IA (mangrove and buffer areas), CRZ-III (No Development Zone along rivers/creeks), CRZ-IB (water bodies), and designated fishing zones.
“Mangroves are present on both sides of the proposed site and serve as critical ecological buffers, offering significant environmental and climate benefits. Their protection is essential,” the report emphasised.
The proponent has submitted a draft CRZ delineation study prepared by the National Institute of Oceanography (NIO). The project envisions two observation towers accessible via a 120-metre-long, 12-metre-wide elevated walkway connecting the mainland to the bridge. High-speed elevators will ferry visitors to the top.
Additional facilities planned beneath the bridge on the Agassaim side include a children’s play area, toilets, pantry, ticket counter, security cabin, and an administrative block—currently housing the developer’s temporary office.
