Four years on, Margao master plan remains stuck in consultation stage

Margao: While master plans for Ponda and Valpoi municipal councils have been completed and approved, the Margao master plan 2041 remains unfinished, stalled at the stakeholder consultation stage nearly four years after the Goa State Urban Development Agency (GSUDA) initiated the process, official data shows.Urban development minister Vishwajit Rane, in a written reply tabled during the recently concluded legislative assembly session, said the master plans for Ponda and Valpoi were approved by their respective councils and ratified at GSUDA’s 25th general body meeting in Feb 2024. Projects under both plans have been identified for implementation under central govt’s scheme for Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SSASCI) 2023-24.The three master plans, commissioned through a Mumbai-based consultancy firm, together cost govt Rs 2 crore, Rane said.Explaining the delay in Margao, Rane said objections received during the stakeholder consultation are being examined and incorporated by the consultant.Opposition to the plan surfaced as early as June 2025, when a public presentation of the draft drew sharp criticism from residents. Citizens termed the plan vague, and said they were not consulted before its preparation, demanding greater transparency.Once consultations are completed, the revised report will be placed before the Margao Municipal Council, Rane said. No timeline has been specified, with the minister stating it “depends on the stakeholder consultation process and the time required for council approval.”