There will be enough traffic at Dabolim even after the Mopa airport comes up, Civil Aviation Director Suresh Shanbhogue told Herald.
He said that as on date Goa has 5.5-5.8 million passengers annually and the Airport Authority of India has been on record stating that with expansions Dabolim can handle 4 million passengers per year. “So there is already an excess of 1.5-1.8 million passengers,” he said.
Explanating further, Shanbhogue said the traffic growth in India’s aviation sector is 14 percent but Goa’s is growing at an average of 20 percent, which is six percent above the national average.
The director explains that at the current rate passenger traffic would be 8 to 9 million by the end of 2019 or start of 2020 when Mopa comes up.
“So consider scenario 1, Mopa first phase will be able to handle only 4.4 million passengers a year. Now considering the growth in traffic to 8 to 9 million there will be excess of more than 4 million, which is the capacity of Dabolim. So there would be enough passengers for the existing airport, hence Mopa will have to depend on Dabolim in first phase itself,” Shanbhogue said.
Scenario 2, he said, would be Mopa as a direct international airport and at which most international airlines landing at Delhi or Mumbai would prefer Goa due to less congestion. “Goa will become an entry point for tourists and hence there is a need for another airport to handle traffic,” he said.
Thirdly, he says, the government of India is trying to revive 100-odd unused air strips across the country by fixation of airfares besides other incentives to airlines. “This scheme is in the finalisation stage and once this is done it will benefit Goa immensely as Goa is a tourist destination,” he said.
Fourthly, air travel is no more a luxury and in fact has become a necessity. “People are ready to spend to save time which is adding to air traffic and this is going to help Goa immensely,” he said.
