PORVORIM: Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar said the commissioning of international airport at Mopa in North Goa would not lead to closure of the existing facility at Dabolim.
“The fears were expressed by certain groups in the past that Dabolim airport, which is currently managed by Indian Navy, will be closed after Mopa airport becomes a reality. It is an unwarranted fear that Dabolim would be closed after Mopa is ready to take off. The Dabolim airport is currently super saturated; it cannot take even a single extra passenger and additional flight,” Parrikar said.
He added, “If Dabolim airport is closed after Mopa is commissioned, it would saturate the new facility as well. When Mopa airport was planned there were around 25 lakh tourists arriving annually in the State, but now the number has gone up to 80 lakh. Today 120 flights come to Goa’s Dabolim airport,” he said
Parrikar further said that areas in the radius around 20 kilometres of the new airport will witness a massive economic surge which will help the local population. Also there will be NH17 highway connectivity and 7kms special corridor.
He said the Union government has already cleared railway connectivity to the airport so that passengers from the flight after landing can take the train to reach to their destination.
