Panaji: A group of citizens has urged Panaji mayor and North Goa Planning and Development Authority (NGPDA) chairperson Rohit Monserrate to reject five NBCC redevelopment projects in the city, citing inadequate drainage, water and power infrastructure.In a letter to Monserrate, People for Panaji secretary Chryselle Dias accused govt of adopting “double standards”, saying it was pushing govt projects despite the planning authority citing infrastructure constraints to reject private development proposals.“While infrastructure like drainage, water, electricity are not available for private housing societies, the same seem to be in abundance for PPP projects of govt with the NBCC and other govt projects,” Dias said.Citing the draft Panaji outline development plan (ODP) 2031, Dias said 44 requests by private parties for land-use changes had been rejected after the ODP report stated that the existing drainage network could not handle additional waste and that water and electricity supplies could not support increased population density.Goa and NBCC (India) have entered into a contract for seven redevelopment projects, including Junta House, Circuit House at Altinho, two govt residential quarters at St Inez and govt garage. Questioning how existing infrastructure could support such developments, Dias specifically raised concerns over hotels with swimming pools. She also cited a proposed five-star hotel with more than 500 rooms at Miramar and Mini-Convention Centre planned along Rua de Ourem creek.The letter comes against the backdrop of a deficient southwest monsoon. Dias urged Monserrate, as head of the planning authority, to take the rainfall deficit and the city’s infrastructure constraints into account while assessing the proposed projects.
