Master plan on anvil to preserve church complex in Old Goa

To preserve the church complex in Old Goa, which once served as the capital of the erstwhile Portuguese-ruled colony, the state government intends to draw a master plan for the heritage site.
UNESCO has already declared the churches at Old Goa, located nine kilometers from Panaji, as heritage monuments which are protected by Archaeological Survey of India.
The Goa government in a notification issued yesterday has assignedrenowned architect Ketak Nachinolkar the work of conducting a detailed study on various parameters concerning the heritage site.
The notification by state Urban Development department saidthat based on the detailed study by Nachinolkar, the Master Plan for the complex would be drawn.

"Nachinolkar has to submit his report within a month," Director of Urban Development Elvis Gomes said.
The Old Goa Church complex is home to world famous monuments including Basilica of Bom Jesus which houses relics of St Francis Xavier and one of Asia's biggest churchs Se Cathedral.

"The government is concerned about the need for conservation and development of the Old Goa Heritage area which is recognised by the UNESCO as a World Heritage site and also the need to prepare a comprehensive Master Plan for the said purpose," Gomes said.
Nachinolkar is mandated with the job to work on delineation of the historic sites, historical aspects of the place before the arrival of the Portuguese, Colonial era developments leading to Old Goa becoming a major metropolis.

The plan will also study the possibility of constitutingSpecial Development Authority for the Old Goa Heritage complex while identifying parameters for accrual of social and economic benefits to the local population.
The Goa State Urban Development Agency (GSUDA) has been appointed as the nodal agency to oversee the process of drafting the Master Plan.
Besides Basilica and Se Cathedral, the Old Goa complex has St Cajetan Church, Church and convent of St Francis of Assisi, chapel of St Catherine, church of Our Lady of Rosary, mortal remains of St Paul's college, arch of Viceroy, arch of Adil Shah's palace, St Augustine's tower, chapel of St Francis Xavier and connected buildings among others.