DABOLIM: When the BRICS summit begins on Saturday amidst tight security and road blockades, operations at the civilian airport will not be disturbed, sources said.
In what will come as great relief to domestic as well as international travellers, operations would continue as usual.
“The arrival and departure of all the state heads and their delegations would be handled at INS Hansa reception and as such there would be no effect to the civilian airport operations,” said a top Airport Authority of India official, refusing to be named.
As has been extensively reported, there will eleven heads of state and government who will arrive in Goa for the BRICS and BIMSTEC summit including Russian President Vladamir Putin and the Chinese President Xi Jinping. But passengers can be assured, their super jets will not be parked anywhere near the planes you will fly to depart from or arrive in Goa.
He stated that it is also safe from the security point of view as the delegates would get better facilities and security away from the civilian enclave.
“The Navy has its own security as well at the arrival and departure terminal, which can handle the delegates for a summit of this nature,” the official revealed.
However, the only concern is how the aircraft of 11 countries be parked, considering the space constraints at the airport.
Goa is simultaneously holding BRICS as well as the BIMSTEC summit which involves 11 nations. “The core aircraft will be parked here while some will fly back depending upon the situation,” sources added.
Besides, the official said, “The Navy has enough land to park more than 11 aircraft on the other side of the civilian enclave.”
Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar stated that all security arrangements are in place at the airport.
When contacted, Capt N Thiagarajan, in-charge of operations at the INS Hansa, refused to speak on the matter. “I cannot make any comments on the issue of security,” he said.
Dabolim and operates as a civilian enclave in a military airbase named INS Hansa.
