Panaji, Aug 6 (PTI) Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Tuesday told the legislative assembly that despite competition from the international airport at Mopa that was opened in 2022, the Dabolim airport in the state has been performing well.
While Mopa is located in North Goa, Dabolim is in South Goa.
Sawant was responding to a calling attention motion moved by Goa Forward Party (GFP) MLA Vijai Sardesai, who raised concerns about the future of the Dabolim airport after the inauguration of Manohar International Airport, Mopa.
The Mopa airport was inaugurated in December 2022 and was named after former Goa chief minister late Manohar Parrikar. Before that, only Dabolim international airport was operational in Goa.
Sawant said, “Statistics indicate that the Dabolim airport shall continue to operate smoothly and its significance in Goa’s economy will remain intact since the number of tourists visiting Goa is increasing day-by-day and both the airports in Goa shall sustain without any hindrance.” The state government was aware of the proposed projected expansion plan of the Goa International Airport at Dabolim for a period of next 10 years from financial year 2024-25, wherein approximately 8.3 acres of land is proposed to be acquired from the Navy for enhancement of the terminal building and related air side infrastructure, he said.
“The Dabolim airport has been performing to its optimum capacity and has 57 per cent share in Goa’s air traffic currently,” he said.
According to Sawant, the Goa government has been lending its continued support to the Dabolim airport by facilitating the development of its ancillary infrastructure, such as provision of a grade separator in the recent past to reduce traffic congestion in the vicinity of the new terminal building.
Since Goa is an international tourist hub, there is a tremendous potential for the growth of tourism in the entire state, including the utility of both the airports, the CM added.
“As there will always be a limit for expansion of even the Manohar International Airport, the significance of Dabolim airport cannot be undermined and it shall always be a very needful facility for the development of tourism in Goa,” he said.
Sawant said the Goa government was committed to providing all the required facilitation for expansion of Goa International Airport at Dabolim to ensure continuity, viability and sustainability of the Dabolim airport along with that of Mopa airport, he said. PTI RPS NP
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