Goa's growing urban chaos: any solutions?
By Frederick Noronha
f...@goa-india.org
Goa's urban spaces are bursting at the seams,
getting crowded, lack entertainment, and face
unplanned growth and urban sprawl. As if that all
was not enough, this small scenic state is also
getting clogged with traffic while we lack decent
public transportation. Goa's little towns are fast
losing the charm they were once known for.
Recently, a team from a national institution has
turned the spotlight onto four locations in Goa
itself.
The Centre for Environmental Planning and Technology (CEPT)
University, based in Ahmedabad, recently undertook an
exercise in Goa. Could its work have relevance to the state
of our towns and cities-in-the-making -- which clearly suffer
from a whole lot of shortcomings?
CEPT's Department of Urban Design, Faculty of Architecture,
conducted a 'design studio' on four towns of Goa -- Margao,
Panjim, Mapusa and Vasco -- with an emphasis on participatory
development. It came to Goa in July 2009 to conduct their
field studies followed by a visit in early October where
presentations were made, and feedback received.
In December 2009, it made its final presentations of the
design proposals for Margao and Vasco in Ravindra Bhavan,
Margao and for Panjim and Mapusa at the Goa College of
Architecture in Panjim. Prof. PVK Rameshwar, FIIA, FIUDI, the
professor and head of the urban design department, put this
writer in touch with the students who worked on this. Here
are some emerging issues:
PANJIM: LACK OF AWARENESS
Group members Dwijomala Hanjabam, Kalpeshkumar Patel,
Lopamudra Neog and Yashashree Lambay focused on a
participatory approach for Wards 19, 20, 23 and 28 that cover
Fontainhas, Mala, Portais, Sao Tome and Pato Plaza. A focused
survey was carried out among ward councillors, residents,
authority and some eminent persons.
CEPT's student team said in Fontainhas, often
called Panjim's Latin Quarter, there were issues
about conservation of both the built and natural
heritage. They concluded: A lack of awareness and
belonging towards the natural features -- the Ourem
Creek, Altinho hill, etc -- was leading to its
deterioration. They saw a similar lack of
awareness and belonging towards the built-heritage
of places like the Font Fenix, apart from the issue
of broad and superficial conservation guidelines
and its impact on the built form.
Likewise, the study found a lack of equality in terms of
abiding by rules among residents... and a lack of financial
aid to residents for conservation and maintenance. There was
outward migration from the neighbourhood to newer areas
like Dona Paula and Caranzalem. Infiltration of tourism and
its impact on migration, besides the impact of rapid
commercialisation, were other issues noted.
Incidentally, Pato Plaza -- enthusiastically promoted by past
and subsequent governments as a prestigious project in the
capital city -- was proving to be an isolated entity.
As the study noted, The single commercial use of the CBD
(central business district) makes it alienated and deserted
at night. Although physically connected, the part is isolated
from the city and the concerned neighbourhood in terms of
activities. The built form and its character is in stark
contrast to its vicinity.
Needless to say, politicians and interested lobbies
found a lot of sense in building high-rise
structures in what used to be agricultural fields
not too long back. But today, as the emerging study
put it, the area suffers from a non-adequate
infrastructure. There is also a lack of parking in
Fontainhas and Pato Plaza, a lack of community
spaces, and traffic congestion due to school-buses
and the narrow lanes of Fontainhas.
Other problems include the water logging at Mala in monsoons;
lack of connectivity between Fontainhas and Pato Plaza; a
lack of public participation; and a lack of powers with ward
councillors. Some suggestions put forth:
* Devolution of four wards into two for efficient
public participation.
* Constitution of five conservation zones and its
respective guidelines.
* Delineation of a heritage walk and identification
of buildings for tourist lodgings.
* Structuring of land use for better mix of use and
strengthening of the neighbourhood.
* The development of community and public places
and inclusion of a ward office.
* Rerouting of traffic and provision of parking
facilities.
Also suggested was a vision that includes creating a
sustainable neighbourhood by associating the
dis-association... and conservation as a tool to transform
and not
