TCP falsified zone-change fee rate for pvt benefit: PIL to HC

March 7, 2025

Court Tells Govt To Reply, Plea Says Crores LostPanaji: The high court on Wednesday called for govt’s response to a new PIL alleging that the town and country planning (TCP) department deliberately undervalued the calculation of fees for the correction of zones. The plea alleged that the exchequer lost crores because of the fee undervaluation for corrections, made under Section 17(2) of the TCP Act.The petitioner, Swapnesh Sherlekar, and others submitted to the HC that the TCP department applied the old rate of Rs 200 per square metre instead of Rs 1,000 per square metre as stipulated by the new notification of March 28, 2024.In one case in which govt approved the rectification/correction of 89,500sqm to a settlement zone in the regional plan, the TCP department assessed the total fees payable to be Rs 8.9 crore under the Rs 1,000 rate, the PIL said. It alleged, however, that the chief town planner calculated the fees at Rs 100 per square metre, causing a loss to the exchequer of Rs 7.1 crore.The undervaluation was meant to benefit a private party, Brahm Agro Terra Projects, the plea alleged.Sherlekar was represented by advocate Rohit Bras de Sa. The property in question is at Chopdem, the plea said, adding that the undercut rate was applied almost three months after the rate of Rs 1,000 was notified as the fees for a tract larger than 20,001sqm.The petitioners are seeking the revocation of the assessment order and directions to the state to immediately hold an inquiry to ascertain the loss caused in the assessment of fees in 120 similar cases since April 2024. They want action initiated to recover the deficit in fees to the state exchequer from the erring party as well as from the chief town planner.The plea is also seeking disciplinary proceedings against Rajesh Naik, the chief town planner.The petitioners told the HC that the loss caused to the exchequer was brought to the notice of govt and a request was made for the department to recover the amount and suspend the chief town planner. However, the plea added, that no action has been taken despite repeated representations.

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