Work on Ribandar market ‘illegal’, claims NGPDA; Smart City denies

Panaji: The North Goa Planning and Development Authority (NGPDA) has directed Imagine Panaji Smart City Development Limited (IPSCDL) to stop work on the Ribandar community market as the construction has obstructed a proposed 15m-wide road. However, IPSCDL in its reply, said that there is no proposal to construct the said road and that TCP did not provide any building setback demarcation while approving the construction plan two years ago.

NGPDA had threatened to demolish the Ribandar market complex citing “illegal development”, a charge that the Smart City Mission has described as “vague and contrary” to the approvals granted by the earlier NGPDA member secretary.

“You are hereby directed to stop the work immediately and show cause within seven days from the receipt of this notice as to why action under Section 52 of the Town and Country Planning Act, 1974, shall not be initiated for demolition of the above-referred illegal development,” stated the notice issued by NGPDA member secretary Vertika Dagur.

NGPDA gave permission for the construction of the market under the Smart City Mission, but a 3m section of the building has been built on space that NGPDA claims has been earmarked for road widening.

“The Smart City Mission has replied to the show-cause notice, and we are awaiting their response,” said IPSCDL chief executive officer Sanjit Rodrigues.

IPSCDL has pointed out that there are water bodies on either side of the road at Patto and there is no scope to widen or build any new road, and so the question of obstructing any proposed road does not arise.


Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India. Don't miss daily games like Crossword, Sudoku, and Mini Crossword.