Goa's Town and Country Planning Department Grants Final Approvals for Land Zone Changes
The Town and Country Planning (TCP) department in Goa has continued its process of granting final approvals for zone change proposals under Section 29A of the Town and Country Planning Act. This week, the department officially approved the conversion of 18,629 square meters of land into settlement zones, with the largest parcels concentrated in the areas of Sircaim and Mandrem.
Concentration of Land Conversion Activity in Bardez
Collectively, the six approvals highlight a continued concentration of land conversion activity in the Bardez region, which accounts for five of the six proposals. Pernem accounts for the remaining large parcel in Mandrem, indicating a strategic focus on these areas for development.
The most significant conversion was cleared in Sircaim, Bardez, where a real estate developer secured approval to convert 5,410 square meters of orchard land to settlement. In an adjacent property, the same applicant received approval for the conversion of another 4,745 square meters of orchard land, bringing the combined conversion in the village to over 10,000 square meters.
Smaller but Notable Approvals in Bardez
Smaller yet notable approvals were also cleared in Bardez. In Marra, a 1,143 square meter plot of orchard land secured approval for conversion. In Nadora, two proposals for the conversion of 675 square meters of cultivable land with an irrigation command area and an additional 155 square meters under a similar classification received final approval. Both these proposals at Nadora are subject to no-objection certificates from the Water Resources Department (WRD).
Major Conversion in Pernem's Mandrem
In Pernem, the TCP board granted approval to convert 4,656 square meters of orchard land in Mandrem to settlement, marking one of the larger single-parcel conversions in the latest notification. This approval underscores the department's ongoing efforts to facilitate land use changes in key regions.
Public Objections and Legal Considerations
The notification records that the proposals were previously published for public objections between September and November 2025. After considering the submissions, the TCP Board, in its meetings held on February 2, granted approval for corrections in the Regional Plan of Goa 2021, which now has final government approval.
Chief Town Planner Vertika Dagur emphasized that the changes and alterations in the Regional Plan remain subject to the outcome of pending writ petitions before the Bombay High Court, highlighting the legal complexities involved.
Ongoing Pressure to Scrap Section 39A
The TCP's final approval for land conversion comes even as the Enough is Enough movement, led by former Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court Justice Ferdino Rebello, increases pressure on the government to scrap Section 39A of the TCP Act. This movement advocates for stricter regulations on land use changes, reflecting broader public concerns over development policies.
