Draft rules aim to protect Old Goa but key weaknesses flagged
The National Monuments Authority (NMA), in consultation with the Indian Heritage Cities Network Foundation (IHCNF), Bengaluru, has framed draft heritage bylaws for the World Heritage site comprising the Churches and Convents of Goa. The regulations, notified in the central gazette on 3 December 2025, propose controls within a 300m radius of protected monuments but local experts and stakeholders in Goa have raised concerns about gaps that could blunt their effectiveness.
The draft was published with a one-month window for suggestions and objections, but stakeholders in Goa say the exercise lacked adequate local publicity: the regulations were not published in the Goa official gazette nor were they sufficiently circulated in local newspapers, limiting participation from residents and civic groups, they alleged.
“The regulations seek to ‘guide physical, social and economic interventions within 300m of all directions of the protected monuments’.”
Conservation specialists and local stakeholders have welcomed the long-overdue move — Old Goa has functioned without a comprehensive management plan for roughly four decades — but they warn the draft requires further clarification and correction on several fronts before becoming an enforceable framework.
Experts point to practical shortcomings
Those familiar with the draft told reporters that the principal weaknesses include:
- Enforcement mechanisms: The bylaws lack clear lines of responsibility and predictable sanctions that would allow authorities to act swiftly against unauthorised development or commercial activity within the regulated area.
- Mapping and delineation: Precise mapping of the 300m buffer and identification of vulnerable sightlines and heritage vistas are missing or inadequate, making on-ground monitoring difficult.
- Height restrictions and built-form controls: Provisions to limit building heights and regulate new construction appear insufficiently prescriptive to prevent structures that could compromise the visual integrity of the monuments.
- Heritage safeguards: The draft needs stronger, consolidated language on permitted uses, signage, kiosks and road expansion that have already altered the historic landscape.
Experts argue that without these refinements, the bylaws may not halt trends that have eroded Old Goa’s historic character — notably roadside expansion, ad-hoc kiosks and new construction within the protected setting.
Historical context underlines urgency
Old Goa, once described as the ‘Rome of the East’, historically extended within a wall that is said to have run for about 21km, covering areas such as Corlim and Carambolim. Over centuries, the urban footprint has contracted; since the 18th century the city fragmented into the cluster of monuments visible today.
Observers say the absence of a robust management plan has allowed incremental changes that undermine the site’s visual and historical integrity. The draft bylaws were prepared some 16 years after amendments to the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (AMASR) Act became law in 2010, a delay that commentators say highlights institutional inertia.
Local impact and next steps
If finalised in their current form, the bylaws could provide a statutory framework for oversight in the buffer zone, potentially shaping planning approvals, signage, tourism activity and infrastructure work. Critics, however, caution that without proper publication, stakeholder engagement and explicit operational guidelines, enforcement will remain inconsistent.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Notified in central gazette | 3 Dec 2025 |
| Buffer proposed | 300m around protected monuments |
| Consultation period | One month from notification |
| Principal drafting agencies | NMA and IHCNF, Bengaluru |
Conservationists and local groups have called for the draft to be republished in the Goa official gazette and widely publicised in the state to ensure meaningful consultation. They also want the NMA and state authorities to revise the text to include precise maps, clearer height and use controls, and enforceable penalties for violations.
Municipal and state planning bodies will be expected to coordinate with central heritage authorities if the bylaws are finalised. Observers say that only with defined implementation protocols and local ownership will the regulations achieve their stated aim of protecting the monuments’ setting and long-term integrity.
For now, the draft represents a significant administrative step after decades of inattention, but its ultimate value will depend on how effectively the identified gaps are addressed before final notification.
