Panaji: Around 350 residents have petitioned the North Goa Planning and Development Authority and chief town planner to retain the recreational zoning of the Panaji Park land near the Mandovi river and revoke its commercial zoning.CCP councillor Jack Sukhija said the tourism department had sought to change the land use from recreational to special commercial to generate revenue before leasing the property to a Bengaluru-based private company. “Public recreation land by the river Mandovi near the Panaji ferry ramp, known as Panaji Park, had been sought to be changed by the tourism department from recreation zone to special commercial only for the purpose of generation of revenue and leased out to a private party,” Sukhija said.Residents alleged that the tourism department “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,” said Panaji resident Chryselle Dias.She said the outline development plan (ODP) 2031 has not yet been finalised, but the draft ODP 2031, which was open for public objections and suggestions in Aug 2024, continues to show the plot as a recreational zone.
