Team Herald
PANJIM: Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation V K Singh (Retd) on Wednesday said both, Dabolim and Mopa international airports will continue to operate simultaneously in the State. It is unfounded perception that Dabolim will shut down.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of an event at Panjim, Singh said it is unfounded perception that Dabolim airport will shut down after commissioning of new Mopa airport.
He pointed out that the Union cabinet in June 2010 had already taken a decision that both Dabolim and Mopa airports will operate in parallel in Goa.
Singh said the Mopa airport will cater to growth in air traffic which could not be accommodated hitherto due to space and timing constraints.
Allaying fears that flight operations at Dabolim may shut down for civilian flights once Mopa airport is commissioned, Singh reiterated that the Government of India has no intention to shut the Dabolim airport.
“I am here to clarify that the new airport will not lead to the closure of the previous airport. We will provide more connectivity to the new airport. If today Dabolim is connected to 20 cities, the next 20 cities that currently cannot be accommodated at Dabolim will go to Mopa,” he said.
“Additional traffic will be diverted to Mopa. Both airports are going to function,” he said.
He said there is no doubt in the minds of the Union government that Dabolim airport will be closed,” he added.
The Union Minister further said the Dabolim airport will be run by the Airport Authority of India (AAI) and the Mopa airport will be run by the GMR Group.
When asked if there will be increase in activities of Indian Navy, which owns and operates airfield at Dabolim, the Union Minister said there are separate discussions about defence requirements but there will be no planned reduction in traffic at Dabolim due to this.
Later, Transport Minister Mauvin Godinho said Union Minister V K Singh has assured him that the synergies of both the airports will be combined and that both airports will continue to function in the State. He said the decision taken by the Union Cabinet in June 2010 is a final document and cannot go against it.
Godinho said some people are unnecessarily creating hype that Dabolim airport will shut operations.
