The High Court of Bombay at Goa has quashed the Outline Development Plans (ODPs) for Calangute, Candolim, Parra, Arpora, and Nagoa. The court has restored the Regional Plan 2021 as the binding planning framework, halting permissions under the ODPs and addressing concerns around illegal land conversion in eco-sensitive zones and high-density construction in North Goa.
The court struck down a circular from December 2022 and an executive order from August 2024 that had reactivated two ODPs for the five North Goa villages. The decision came in response to public interest litigation, which challenged the legality of construction activities under defunct plans. The judgment restores the Regional Plan 2021, ensuring future developments follow stricter guidelines that protect the ecological and heritage character of these areas.
Concerns over mass land conversions, especially of hill slopes and eco-sensitive areas, prompted the legal challenge. Critics flagged the reclassification of natural land as settlement zones, enabling real estate expansion in already congested villages. Additionally, a high Floor Area Ratio (FAR) of 200 allowed for excessive vertical growth, further straining local infrastructure. The court’s verdict has been welcomed by environmental campaigners and village groups calling for responsible planning.
Although the High Court allowed the petitions and invalidated the ODPs, it granted a four-week stay on the enforcement of its order. This pause provides the Town and Country Planning (TCP) Department an opportunity to appeal to the Supreme Court. However, the court ordered that the status quo be maintained during this interim period, meaning no fresh permissions or construction activity may proceed based on the now-scrapped ODPs.
The ruling follows months of legal action by civic and environmental groups after the TCP department continued issuing permissions under the withdrawn ODPs. An earlier High Court order in January 2025 had already warned against such activity. A subsequent Special Leave Petition filed by the state in the Supreme Court was dismissed in February 2025, clearing the path for the High Court’s final decision in favour of preserving the Regional Plan.
With this verdict, the Regional Plan 2021 regains authority over land use in Calangute, Candolim, Parra, Arpora, and Nagoa. The ruling offers temporary relief to those opposing unchecked construction in environmentally fragile zones. As the state weighs its next legal move, local communities and activists see the decision as a turning point in Goa’s battle to protect its ecological integrity from unsustainable urban expansion.
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High Court Halts ODPs in Five Goa Villages
