Kolhapur: The Association of Architects and Engineers, Kolhapur, a forum of professionals providing expertise on development-related issues, has urged the state govt to amend the district’s Regional Plan (RP), approved in 2018, to bring it in line with the current population.
The association said updating the plan would help redraw the Gaothan boundaries of villages, facilitate regulated development and curb unauthorised construction.
“While preparing this plan, the baseline population was assumed as per the 2011 Census. Accordingly, the urban base and development plan for about 5,000 villages were prepared using the 2011 Census data. The projected population was estimated based on the 2011 Census figures. Association president Ajay Korane said the Gaothan limits in the previous Regional Plan had been fixed in 1978 and its 20-year implementation period had ended long ago. “The last Regional Plan had the Gaothan limits fixed in 1978. The 20-year implementation period ended, and after a delay of 35 years, the new RP was approved. However, it was based on population estimates till 2011, while we are now in 2026.
Due to these factors, development outside the Gaothan (village settlement) periphery took place beyond the defined boundaries under the 2018 Regional Plan,” the association said in a letter to the state government. “For this purpose, Land Records village maps must be updated.
“This will benefit villagers seeking new building approvals and will also increase revenue collection,” the association said. The government has the authority to amend the plan,” Korane said. Proper residential layouts can be drawn and civic amenities can be provided,” Korane said.
“This would stop illegal and unregulated construction. The association has also sought policy decisions to map and display the alignments of rural roads, other district roads, major district roads, state highways and national highways across the Regional Plan, Land Records and Public Works Department records. All reservoirs and lakes under the Irrigation Department should be included in the Regional Plan.
Similarly, entries for IT parks, universities and private universities must be made mandatory with the Land Records office,” the association said in its demand letter submitted to guardian minister Prakash Abitkar on Saturday.