Porvorim: The Union Ministry for Civil Aviation has approved the state government’s proposal for the continuation of civilian operations at Dabolim International Airport, even after the commissioning of the new airport at Mopa, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar informed the House on Thursday.
Chief Minister further said that as per the Concession Agreement the Mopa Airport will be developed as a passenger and cargo hub by the Concessionaire. Parrikar said the Union Government through a letter dated July 1, 2010, has approved the state government proposal for continuation of civilian operations at Dabolim Civil Aviation Enclave, even after commissioning of the new international airport proposed at Mopa.
Chief Minister was replying to the Question tabled by Congress MLA Wilfred D’Sa, who sought to know whether the Navy enclave with a civilian airport will be maintained as an International Airport in view of the Mopa plan.
Parrikar said that the Mopa Airport is being constructed in four phases with an annual passenger capacity of 4.4 million in phase I, 5.8 million phase II, 9.4 million in phase III and 13.1 million in phase IV. “The airport has an ultimate potential of nearly 30 million passengers per annum. The phase wise development is traffic triggered upon reaching 80 percent capacity of previous phase,” he said.
Chief Minister told State Assembly that the construction activity has begun and the Phase I of the project is expected to be commissioned by September 2020, having capacity of 4.4 million passengers per annum. He said that the estimated cost of Phase I of the project is Rs 1900 crore.
Parrikar said that the project is funded in the ratio of 30 percent equity and 70 percent debt.
“The total land acquired is 2,020 acres and Government land is 113.5 acres,” he said.
