PANAJI
The Town and Country Planning Board on Monday decided to revive the 'farmhouse policy' by which a chunk of 4,000 square meters of land will be permitted to be subdivided for the purpose of building farmhouses. Also the earlier 5% coverage will be enhanced to 15 per cent.
TCP Minister Vishwajit Rane announced the decision after a TCP Board meeting on Monday saying that Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) for their certification for every farmhouse project.
He said, the farmhouse policy of the TCP was introduced in Goa several years ago when his father Pratapsingh Rane was the chief minister and headed the department.
"We will revert to that policy and modify it a bit. With an agency like IGBC on board we will get strict certification of all these projects before they are passed," Rane said.
Rane said the TCP leadership is of the view that several "modern thought processes" must be incorporated.
"For instance we have now decided to adopt a TDR (transfer of development rights) policy of areas along highways," Rane said.
A top TCP official, said that the Board decision on Monday related to TDR policy was to engage consultants to come out with a detailed TDR policy and also a transit oriented policy by which higher FARs are given along transport corridors.
Rane said, a consultant will be appointed to aid the TCP on the planning parameters of the TDR policy including identifying and demarcating the 'receiving areas' and related matters.
In a bid to make investments in big-ticket projects like film city, film studio or golf courses, Rane said a policy-level decision is in the offing to permit them on orchard lands provided the proposals have green certification.
The IGBC will be on board for certification of the proposals seeking permissions as well as for post-construction certification, he added.
For projects like 'film city' and golf courses, the proposal should be on a minimum quantum of 100 to 200 acres, Rane said but for 'film studio' the requirement would be a minimum of 25 acres.
An FSI of 30 per cent in orchard lands for such projects is envisaged, Rane said, adding that such large projects entirely in settlement or commercial zones are not feasible.
In another decision, the TCP board has also proposed higher FSI for large medical institutions such as hospitals with over 400-bed capacity, he added.
