Mauvin backs move, Carlos terms it hasty
TEAM HERALD
VASCO: Efforts to get the New International Terminal Building (NITB) at Dabolim to take-off on Tuesday have been marred by conflicting claims by rival party legislators.
While Dabolim’s Congress MLA Mauvin Godinho has claimed that operations at the NITB would commence from Tuesday, the Vasco’s BJP MLA Carlos Almeida has decried the haste to commence operations on grounds that the infrastructure is yet to be completed and all stakeholders have not been taken into confidence.
Speaking at a function to lay interlocking pavers at New Vaddem on Monday, Godinho informed the media that the NITB will start operating from Tuesday, with five arrivals and one departure.
“On Tuesday, only five arrivals and one departure will take place at the NITB and all pending works will fall in place in next five days,” said Godinho.
When asked to justify the hurry in starting operations at the NITB when the infrastructure is yet to be set up, Godinho replied: “If one waits for everything to fall in place then it will take another six months for the NITB to be operational.”
Responding to Almeida’s objection to the hasty commencement of flight operations at the NITB, Godinho hit back and stated that Almeida “should concentrate on his constituency.”
“Starting the operations at the NITB is the prerogative of the Centre,” insisted Godinho.
However, Savio Messias, member of the Airport Advisory Committee and Vice President of TTGA has objected to the commencement of the NITB, on grounds that the infrastructure at NITB was not ready.
“The airport authority should not start operations at the NITB in a hurry as it will give a bad name to the Dabolim airport,” said Messias.
“Airline operators are not geared up for the sudden decision of the airport authority to start the operations at NITB as they do not have sufficient staff. Since the CSIF has taken over the NITB, they are not allowing workers to carry out their works,” said Messias.
Speaking to reporters, Vasco MLA Carlos Almeida claimed that a number of works are yet to be completed at the NITB.
“There are no signages inside the NITB and besides, there are no facilities provided for drinking water facilities. The fixing of panels inside the airport is incomplete, the toilets are dirty and the airport authority has failed to put up a cafeteria to cater the passengers.”
“The airport authority has even failed to install chairs inside the departure and arrival longue. I wonder why the airport is in such a hurry to start the operations at NITB. The shabby look of the NITB will give it a bad name,” said Almeida.
While commenting on the traffic system in the absence of a traffic island at Shanti Nagar, Almeida claimed that traffic flowing out of the airport would pose a serious threat to oncoming vehicles from both sides of the four-lane highway.
“I will hold the collector responsible if any tragedy take place on the four-lane highway. I wonder if the Dabolim MLA will take responsibility for any mishap that will take place on the road,” Almeida added.
Undeterred by Almeida’s threats on the traffic system, Godinho replied: “Almeida is a member of the ruling government and he should get the State government to resolve the traffic related issues.”
Meanwhile, most staff of the various airlines operating at the Dabolim terminal stated that they were unprepared to start operations at the NITB. “Our offices are not furnished and there is less staff,” said one airline official.
Sources from the immigration at the Dabolim airport also are not in favour of the airport authority’s sudden move to begin operations they do not have proper infrastructure.
