Residents move to restore recreational status for riverside Panaji Park
Panaji: Around 350 residents have submitted a petition to the North Goa Planning and Development Authority (NGPDA) and the chief town planner seeking retention of recreational zoning for the Panaji Park land on the banks of the Mandovi and revocation of its classification as special commercial, according to local councillor and residents' statements.
CCP councillor Jack Sukhija said the state tourism department had sought a change in land use from recreation to special commercial allegedly to generate revenue and subsequently leased the property to a Bengaluru-based private company. Residents contend the change was sought only as a prelude to the lease.
- Who petitioned: About 350 Panaji residents.
- To whom: North Goa Planning and Development Authority and the chief town planner.
- Core demand: Revoke special commercial zoning and retain recreational zoning on the draft Outline Development Plan (ODP) for 2031.
One petitioner, Panaji resident Chryselle Dias, said the draft ODP 2031 - which was open for public objections and suggestions in August 2024 - continues to show the plot as a recreational zone. She also alleged that the tourism department had "deliberately misrepresented" the land use while leasing the property.
"We cannot understand why the planning and development authority, and the town and country planning board failed to realise this during their scrutiny of the proposal received from the department of tourism," Dias said.
The petitioners question the procedural scrutiny that preceded the lease, asking why the NGPDA and the town and country planning board did not identify the discordance between the land's recreational status on the draft ODP and the department's move to classify it as special commercial.
Local planning context and immediate implications
The dispute centres on a riverside parcel near the Panaji ferry ramp known locally as Panaji Park. Residents say the land has been used for public recreation and argue that commercial reclassification would limit public access and alter the character of the riverfront.
The petition asks planning authorities to review the decision-making trail that led to the change of land use and to restore the recreational zoning indicated in the draft ODP 2031. No details on the terms of the lease or the identity of the Bengaluru-based private company were provided in the statements accompanying the petition.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Number of petitioners | ~350 |
| Authorities petitioned | North Goa Planning and Development Authority; Chief Town Planner |
| Land parcel | Panaji Park, near Mandovi river ferry ramp |
| Draft ODP status | Draft ODP 2031 (open for objections in Aug 2024) shows recreational zone |
The petition and the accompanying allegations raise procedural and policy questions for local governance bodies: whether the tourism department's proposal to reclassify and lease public recreation land followed mandatory clearances and whether planning authorities exercised appropriate oversight during scrutiny of the proposal.
Councillor Sukhija characterised the department's action as an attempt to "generate revenue" from public recreation land, while residents stressed the need to protect riverside open space. The petitioners have asked the NGPDA and the chief town planner to act on the submissions and to ensure the draft ODP designation is respected.
No response from the tourism department, the North Goa Planning and Development Authority, or the town and country planning board was available in the material accompanying the petition. The petitioners have lodged their grievance with the statutory planning bodies and the matter may proceed through statutory review or hearings depending on the authorities' next steps.
