Coastal Goa’s Development Plans Cancelled, Over 1,000 Properties May Revert
A recent High Court ruling has shaken landowners in North Goa, as the Outline Development Plans (ODPs) for five popular coastal villages — Calangute, Candolim, Parra, Arpora, and Nagoa — stand quashed. With more than 1,000 properties spread across nearly 900 survey numbers now potentially reverting to the Regional Plan 2021, the judgment puts large-scale rezoning and real estate aspirations on hold. A four-week stay has delayed the immediate fallout, pending further legal action.
The verdict delivered by the High Court on June 23 brings sweeping implications for land use in some of Goa’s most visited villages. Over 96,000 square metres of agricultural land—primarily non-tenanted—were converted to settlement zones under the scrapped Outline Development Plans. This included significant chunks in Arpora (26,740 sq m), Parra (25,672 sq m), Calangute (15,790 sq m), Nagoa (19,900 sq m), and Candolim (8,480 sq m). The court found that 142 new zones had been added without proper integration with the Regional Plan 2021 or prior ODPs, and 235 plots were rezoned without following due public consultation processes. While a stay order has given authorities time to appeal, legal observers note the ruling’s firm stance on planning accountability. Property owners and developers are now in limbo, awaiting clarity on the status of permissions, ongoing constructions, and future land use rights in these five densely developed villages.
The fallout also includes the reversion of 694 properties that had already been flagged by a government-appointed review panel. These reclassifications, made during the tenure of senior planning officials and previous political leadership, are now under scrutiny. The court’s order also comes amid a separate vigilance inquiry into the actions of certain senior bureaucrats during the 2022 ODP drafting phase. With real estate interests colliding with ecological preservation efforts, environmental groups view the judgment as a long-overdue check on haphazard urbanisation. Activists argue that tourism-centric development has often ignored sustainability concerns, particularly in fragile green belts. Meanwhile, officials from the Town and Country Planning Department are reviewing the judgment’s detailed 118-page order to determine the scope of land that must revert to its original zoning. The focus now shifts to whether the state will pursue a fresh ODP process or adhere to the Regional Plan 2021 going forward.
The quashing of the ODPs marks a pivotal moment in Goa’s urban planning trajectory. While it has halted large-scale development ambitions across five coastal villages, it has also reignited demands for transparent and community-aligned planning. The court’s judgment serves as a warning against bypassing due processes in land reclassification and underscores the importance of ecological safeguards. For now, landowners, local authorities, and environmental groups await the state’s next move—whether to challenge the verdict or initiate a fresh, more compliant planning framework. The outcome could set a precedent for future zoning battles in other parts of the state as well.
