Planning process must be deliberative: Urban planner

Panaji: Two days after town and country planning (TCP) minister Vishwajit Rane announced that no more regional plans will be drafted for Goa, Los Angeles-based city planner Vinayak Bharne expressed concern about the “reactionary process” followed while formulating land use policies for the state.
Interestingly, Bharne — who was picked as an “honorary advisor” to provide guidance — said that contrary to Rane’s claims, he was never appointed as an advisor to the TCP board.
“I sincerely hope that the long-term good of Goa will be kept in mind. I keep saying this again and again. Planning in Goa right now is a reactionary process between the town planning authorities and the citizens,” said Bharne, who is an adjunct professor at the School of Architecture, University of Southern California (USC).
He pointed out that there is a high level of distrust between citizens and the government, which further complicates the land use planning process in Goa. “Whatever happens, one side does something, the other side reacts,” said Bharne.
“Planning should be deliberative. There needs to be a bridge connecting these two disconnected sides. The future of Goa should be decided together by both sides through participatory and collective deliberation. Each side may have to give and take,” said Bharne.
He said that he had met Rane in 2022 and had offered to help Goa with the planning process. “I have never been appointed as town planning advisor. It was announced. But never implemented,” said Bharne in an email to TOI.
At the 183rd meeting of the TCP board held on August 11, 2022, and chaired by Rane, the board “therefore unanimously agreed to engage services of Architect Bharne as a honorary member of the board”, the minutes of the meeting shows.
“I am therefore, unfortunately, not privy to what is happening on town planning issues in Goa,” he said.