VASCO, JUNE 4
Peeved about being left out at the Bhoomi-Puja function of Consolidated Construction Consortium Limited (CCCL) to start expansion work at Dabolim airport, Revenue Minister Jose Philip D’Souza has threatened to complain to Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel.
D’Souza was furious that the function was organized without the presence of a single NCP leader and moreover, he being a guardian minister of Mormugao taluka, was not even invited to the function.
He also hit out at Chief Minister Digambar Kamat for attending the function in his absence.
“If the chief minister knew that he would attend the function, it was his duty to inform his colleagues. Similarly, it was also the duty of Airport Authority of India (AAI) to follow the protocol,” said an agitated D’Souza, while speaking to reporters.
“If the contractor has organized the function, then there are possibilities that the contractor may have been new to the State, but the AAI should have informed us of the event,” added D’Souza.
“Today’s attitude suggests that NCP has been sidelined on the issue, especially when NCP has been in the forefront to press for expansion plans of the airport,” said the revenue minister.
He further said he would complain to Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel about the attitude of AAI and the contractor.
Chief Minister Digambar Kamat said since it was function of the contractor, he along with Cortalim MLA and Deputy SpeakerMauvin Godinho has just graced the function by attending it.
Airport sources disclosed that Kamat was eager to see the site of airport expansion and coincidentally the Bhoomi-Puja and inspection clashed on the same day. Hence, he decided to attend the function.
Meanwhile, in a bid to add additional parking facilities and to decongest traffic at Dabolim airport, the State government on Friday issued a notification for land acquisition.
The notification has been issued by under secretary (Revenue-I) for acquisition of area of 62,720 sq mtrs so as to create an additional facility for parking and decongest the area near the airport.
The land alongside the railway track and NH-17B opposite to Dabolim airport would be acquired.
Speaking to reported along the sidelines of a function at Dabolim airport, Chief Minister Digambar Kamat confirmed that notification has been issued to acquire the land to create parking facilities.
“The State government has proposed the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) for a flyover near the airport junction to decongest the traffic. National Highway Authority of India has agreed to it and a suitable design will be presented before the government shortly,” said Kamat.
However, the parking problem at airport is a regular phenomenon, as most of the tourist taxi vehicles and other vehicles that come to drop and receive passengers are often seen parked along the NH-17B or Chicalim road due to lack of parking infrastructure.
