VASCO: The Goa Pradesh Youth Congress Committee (GPYCC) along with party leaders on Wednesday staged a protest outside the Dabolim International airport, in continuation to Congress Party’s stand against shifting of existing international flights from Dabolim airport to Mopa international airport.
The protestors alleged that the airlines had succumbed to the pressure of BJP-led Union government and the State government to shift its international flight operations from Goa to Gatwick airport, London to Manohar international airport at Mopa, starting from July 21.
They also alleged that shifting of base of international airlines from Dabolim to the Mopa international airport will create a negative impact on the people of South Goa district which certainly will affect the tourism industry and the taxi operators, who are totally dependent on Dabolim airport.
Gomes said that the Air India has shifted its base from Dabolim airport to Mopa international airport only due to the pressure from double engine government of BJP at the Centre and the State.
He said that the protest was only to bring the real face of the BJP government and its conspiracy to shut down the civilian airport. BJP government is trying to pull out the facilities available at Dabolim airport in order to benefit the private player operating the Mopa airport.
After Air India, several other international flights like Qatar and Oman are on the way to shift its base to Mopa airport. The south Goa district will suffer the most due to the shifting of international flight services from Dabolim airport to Mopa, creating negative impact on the tourism industry and it will also affect the taxi operators who are dependent on Dabolim airport”, Gomes said.
“Congress is not against Mopa airport, but we are of the opinion that the BJP government should try to start additional flight services without shifting the base of existing airlines. Dabolim is a historic airport and even after the Portuguese left Goa, it continued as a civilian airport. One can go in history and see that Dabolim was a civilian airport and it has to be continued as an airport that will serve the needs of Goans and times to come”, Gomes said.
