PANJIM: Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday assured the Goa delegation led by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant that the issue of Naval NOC for constructions will be resolved shortly, informed Transport Minister Mauvin Godinho. The Union Minister has also assured the Goa delegation that the Dabolim International Airport will continue to function, said Godinho.
Besides, the Chief Minister, Godinho, Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte and Rajya Sabha MP Sadanand Shet Tanavade were also part of the delegation.
The chief minister said they discussed with the Defence Minister, the issue of the Indian Navy guidelines regarding buffer zone around the Dabolim airport and urged the Minister to sought exemption from no construction with 50-metres radius of Dabolim Airport. The delegation urged the Minister to resolve the issue by reducing the existing 200-metre radius to 50-metre radius for Goa being a small State.
The Chief Minister said that the Union Defence Minister assured that he would hold a meeting with the Naval Chief within a fortnight for appropriate decision. Rajnath Singh also assured them that the Dabolim Airport will continue to be open for civilian flights. “Our meeting with Union Defence Minister was fruitful,” said Sawant.
Earlier, the Goa delegation met Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia and discussed upgradation of infrastructure at the Dabolim Airport and more international and national connectivity to the newly built Mopa International Airport.
They requested the Civil Aviation Minister to promote Goa under the open skies policy by connecting new countries and increase international connectivity and the tourist flow into the State, Sawant said adding that the new connectivity would be at Mopa Airport.