PANJIM: In a major decision, the department of Town and Country Planning (TCP) has decided to bring the Greenfield International Mopa airport site, measuring around 81.29 lakh sq mtrs of area, under the Planning and Development Authority (PDA).
The decision was taken at the TCP board meeting held on Monday in a bid to ensure its proper planning. Deputy Chief Minister Francis D’Souza, who holds the TCP portfolio and chaired the meeting, said the Board has approved a new PDA for Mopa Airport Planning Area.
“The Mopa airport area needs to be properly planned. The requirement of planning for this area is different and hence it was decided to develop it under PDA,” Chief Town Planner Dr ST Putturaju told Herald after the meeting.
He said that in the first phase, the area will be marked under PDA, which will be followed by appointment of a special authority. “The authority will then draft development plans for this site. Here we will need experts from civil aviation, PWD engineers and others,” Putturaju said.
He added that four villages from Pernem taluka will be covered under this PDA. “The PDA would be independent from the North Goa Planning and Development Authority (NGPDA),” he said.
The Request for Proposal (RFP) for Mopa airport has been issued to four shortlisted companies – GVK, GMR, Essel Infra-Mumbai and Voluptas Developers. The latter two companies have tied up with foreign partners – Essel Infra with Zurich Airports and Voluptas Developers with Vinci Airports, Rome.
The airport – which is being constructed on a public-private-partnership – will be developed in four phases. Phase I is expected to be completed by 2019 and will cater to 4.4 million passengers, while Phase II is likely to be ready by 2025 and this will handle 5.8 million passengers.
The TCP board also approved the revised outline development plan (ODP) for Mapusa, however, it has raised 17-18 points seeking clarification from the NGPDA.
