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• The Goa government has designated more than 82 lakh sqm of land as No Development Zones (NDZs) to restrict construction activity in ecologically sensitive regions across the state.
• The decision, approved by the Town and Country Planning Board, covers hill slopes, mound areas, sand dunes, islands, and other environmentally vulnerable locations including Majorda, Gonsua, Vagheri Hill, and Sao Jorge Island.
• Authorities stated the move aims to prevent hill cutting, land flattening, and unregulated development amid growing urbanisation and tourism-led construction pressure in Goa.
• Separately, the Union environment ministry has approved Goa’s proposal to declare nearly 6,729 hectares along the Mandovi and Zuari riverbanks as eco-sensitive zones.
• The state government indicated that additional ecological protections for rice fields and low-lying areas may also be considered in the next phase of land preservation measures.
The Goa government has notified more than 82 lakh sqm of land as No Development Zones (NDZs) as part of a broader effort to restrict construction activity in environmentally sensitive regions and preserve the state’s natural landscape amid increasing urbanisation pressure. Advertisement
The decision was approved by the Goa Town and Country Planning Board and covers multiple locations including Majorda, Gonsua, Vagheri Hill, and Sao Jorge Island. Officials stated that the designated areas primarily include hill slopes, mound regions, sand dunes, and ecologically fragile landforms where developmental activity and land levelling had raised environmental concerns in recent years.
According to state officials, more than 82,85,000 sqm of land has now been brought under the NDZ framework. The move is intended to prevent flattening of hills and large-scale alterations to Goa’s natural topography, particularly in regions witnessing increasing real estate and tourism-related construction activity.
One of the largest areas covered under the notification is Vagheri Hill in Sattari taluka near the Maharashtra-Goa border. The hill, which rises to around 780 metres above sea level, spans approximately 65.31 lakh sqm and overlaps with an irrigation command area. Authorities stated that the decision to classify the region as an NDZ followed observations of green cover clearance and developmental activity within the area.
The state government has also declared Sao Jorge Island in South Goa as a No Development Zone due to its ecological and heritage significance. The island covers approximately 6.63 lakh sqm. In Majorda village, around 2.5 lakh sqm has additionally been notified for protection of sand dunes and irrigation-linked areas, while development activity has also been restricted in parts of Gonsua village.
The environmental protection measures coincide with a parallel initiative involving riverine ecosystems in the state. The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has approved Goa’s proposal to declare approximately 6,729.54 hectares along the Mandovi and Zuari riverbanks as eco-sensitive zones. The approval enables the state to impose tighter controls on future development activities within these river corridors considered environmentally vulnerable.
Vishwajit Rane indicated that the state government may next examine proposals to extend No Development Zone protection to rice fields and low-lying areas in order to safeguard agricultural land and preserve green cover. The minister had earlier stated that future construction permissions in Goa would increasingly follow a need-based approval framework, particularly in ecologically sensitive regions.
The latest restrictions are expected to influence future land conversion proposals, resort development, and large-scale real estate activity across parts of Goa where environmental concerns have intensified alongside rising tourism and infrastructure expansion.
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