Goa should retain its urban soul with rural dreams

Goa is in the ‘remaking’. It has been so for the past few decades, during which, the State has seen its face changing. One day, you pass by a quaint cottage on a narrow street, a few months later, the cottage vanishes.

After some time, in its place stands a mall or a supermarket or a brand outlet or a grocery store. The narrow street is choked with traffic, parked vehicles and cacophony.

What name can you give to this phenomenon? There’s only one term for it – urbanisation.

This was the ‘urban dream’ India was chasing long ago, but lately, it seems to be souring with urbanisation bringing with it air pollution, heaps, disappearing green cover, increased population density, traffic congestion, strain on local resources and rising crime rates.

Today, the largely rural Goa, is in the grip of furious urbanisation. Early this month, Taleigao — once known as the ‘granary of Goa’ because of its abundant rice production during the Portuguese era — was notified as an urban area under clause (38) of section 2 of the Goa Land Revenue Code.

This was the ‘urban dream’ India was chasing long ago, but lately, it seems to be souring with urbanisation bringing with it air pollution, garbage heaps, disappearing green cover, increased population density, traffic congestion, strain on local resources and rising crime rates.

'The government of Goa today, hereby, notifies the village Taleigao as urban area for the purpose of said code. This notification shall come into force on the date of its publication in its official Gazette,' stated the notification, issued on April 2, 2025.

This village, on the edge of the capital city of , in many ways, had already morphed into an urban area with very few farms left. The latest designation comes “for the purpose of said (Goa Land Revenue) code”.

The few fields that still sway in some parts of Taleigao serve as green lungs, and offer respite in the fast-concretising Goa. They are a reminder of Taleigao’s agricultural , fertile soil, and are an integral part of Goa’s history.

Long ago, when the Portuguese were stranded in the Mandovi River during one of the attacks by Sultan Adil Shah, the farmers of Taleigao played a crucial role in their survival by supplying grains to Portuguese.

The few fields that still sway in some parts of Taleigao serve as green lungs, and offer respite in the fast-concretising Goa. They are a reminder of Taleigao’s agricultural heritage, fertile soil, and are an integral part of Goa’s history.

Since then, it’s been a tradition for the farmers of Taleigao to offer the first to the Governor of Goa every year. The change in the village’s status could see this custom being given a silent burial.

But, Taleigao’s urbanisation will see more casualties than just a custom. As per the government of India census of 2011, an area can be designated as urban if it fulfils three main criteria, among many others. 

First, it should have a minimum population of 5,000; second, at least 75 per cent of its ‘working-age’ males should be engaged in non-agricultural activities; and third, it should have a minimum population density of 400 people per sq km.

All these pre-requisites for an urban area will see further concretisation of as fields and green cover are mowed down to erect sky-scrappers. As tall buildings appear, it’s population density will start bursting at the seams like the other urban areas of India.

All these pre-requisites for an urban area will see further concretisation of Taleigao as fields and green cover are mowed down to erect sky-scrappers. As tall buildings appear, it’s population density will start bursting at the seams like the other urban areas of India.

If urbanisation of Taleigao is not carried out in a planned and calibrated manner, then all this will put pressure on its already stretched infrastructure and resources, and bring it to a breaking point, which could lead to a collapse of amenities in the area.

Already, many parts of Goa are facing water shortage, and its sewage and garbage systems are also being strained. The season has just set in, and the storage capacity of most of the State’s water reservoirs is below 40 per cent.

These are telltale signs of Goa’s aggressive urbanisation. In recent times, there have been large scale illegalities and irregularities in constructions around Goa as the State pursues the ‘putrid dream’.

The number of villages on its map is shrinking, turning green patches to brown, yellow, grey and red as investors, businessmen and second-home buyers inundate the State.

The census data, published in 2011, put Goa’s total number of at 334. A directory of district villages — as per the 2015 survey of the Ministry of Home Affairs’ office of registrar general and census commissioner—shows there are 194 villages in North Goa, and 140 in South Goa. 

The number of villages on its map is shrinking, turning green patches to brown, yellow, grey and red as investors, businessmen and second-home buyers inundate the State.

Goa’s urbanisation march is happening haphazardly, and frequently with total disregard for the building, construction and environmental laws. This could have catastrophic consequences, sooner or later.

The authorities involved in the process need to understand how their actions today will impact Goa tomorrow, and act conscientiously. Goa can take so many lessons from the urban centres outside the State to ensure its urban dreams don’t go sour.

Let’s keep Goa the way it has always been — an urban soul with rural dreams — someone rooted in the urban way of but yearning for serenity, contentment and natural environment.