Team Herald
PANJIM: The State government has declared the Mopa airport area, where work on the proposed Greenfield International airport is in progress, as a prohibited place for a period of two years.
The notification, issued by Under Secretary (Home) Eshant Sawant, is an extension to its earlier order issued in December 2018.
“The Government of Goa hereby declares the Mopa Airport Area as defined in Clause (e) of Section 2 of the Goa (Mopa Airport Development Authority) Act, 2018 to be a prohibited place for the purposes of the said Act, for a period of two years,” the notification issued on February 4, states.
Sources explained that as per the guidelines issued by the Union Home Affairs Ministry, the notification of the airport area as a restricted zone was mandatory.
During the recently held Assembly Session, Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant had said that nearly 20 per cent of the airport work is completed and the first phase is expected to be completed by 2022.
After the completion of the first phase, the airport is expected to cater to 4.5 million passengers. With the completion of fourth phase, its passenger handling capacity is expected to be 13 million.
