PANAJI: In a move that will ease concerns for those who transformed their land under outline development plans (ODPs), the town and country planning (TCP) department has resolved to issue zoning certificates for parcels designated as settlements in the Calangute-Candolim and Arpora-Nagoa-Parra ODPs, provided they are categorized as settlements in the Regional Plan 2021.
In July 2025, the Supreme Court did not grant the TCP department’s request for a stay on a high court ruling regarding the ODPs for Calangute-Candolim and Arpora-Nagoa-Parra.
The high court had nullified the government’s ODPs for five villages in June, mandating adherence to the Regional Plan 2021 for plan approvals and permissions within these areas.
The court ruled that the two ODPs — Calangute-Candolim and Arpora-Nagoa-Parra — are non-operative, and the five villages are no longer governed by them.
Vertika Dagur, Chief Town Planner (Admn/Planning), stated in a circular that following the Supreme Court’s order from July 22, 2025, challenging the prior high court decision from June 23, 2025, new directives have been issued.
“There are no obstacles in applying the Regional Plan 2021 to the aforementioned five villages: Calangute, Candolim, Arpora, Parra, and Nagoa,” Dagur noted.
“Consequently, zoning certificates and approvals will be provided by the department, given that the properties are classified as ‘Settlement’ in both the Regional Plan 2021 and the ODP notified on December 16, 2022.”
Dagur emphasized the need for strict compliance from all officers and staff.
This high court ruling followed prolonged legal disputes, including a Supreme Court intervention as the TCP department sought to uphold the ODPs.
The Supreme Court characterized the situation as a significant issue of unrestrained development while reviewing a state government petition against the Bombay High Court’s construction restraining order related to the ODPs. Justice Satish Chandra Sharma of the Supreme Court cautioned, “Please don’t turn Goa into a concrete jungle.”
Despite suspending the ODPs due to widespread violations, the state government has actively attempted to maintain them through various means, including circulars and ordinances.
The Chief Town Planner issued a circular reallocating all powers from the NGPDA to the TCP department, instructing that zoning certificates and development approvals would be managed by TCP, although this was not officially announced but circulated among district collectors and planning officials.
