Renotify RP 2021, but denotify wide roads under plan, says Venzy

Porvorim: Benaulim MLA Venzy Viegas on Tuesday urged govt to renotify Regional Plan 2021, to the extent that its proposed 10-, 15-, 25- and 30-metre roads in the villages of Goa be denotified with immediate effect, as it has had an adverse impact on the socio-cultural and environmental fabric of rural Goa.

Town and country planning (TCP) minister Vishwajit Rane said he has made a note of the demand.


Viegas, in his zero hour mention, said, “Fear and anxiety in the minds of the general public of Goa due to the renotified Regional Plan 2021 for Goa, prepared under the provisions of the Goa, Daman and Diu TCP Act, 1974, proposed the development of roads measuring 10, 15, 25 and 30 metres in width across various villages in Goa.”

He said that the proposed roads created a lot of displacement of families, loss of agricultural and ecologically sensitive land, disruption of traditional village layouts, and adverse impacts on the socio-cultural and environmental fabric of rural Goa.

“Govt undertook a comprehensive review of the Regional Plan 2021 through a transparent and participatory process involving all stakeholders — including local communities, village panchayats, and environmental experts — to ensure that any future road development proposals aligned with the principles of sustainable development, ecological preservation, and the socio-cultural ethos of Goa,” Viegas said.

He added that govt should suspend all actions related to land acquisition, demarcation, or construction of the proposed roads until such a review was completed and a revised plan was approved with the consensus of the affected communities.