Goa Gears Up To Partly Use Proposed Intl Airport By 2007

December 26, 2003

Goa Gears Up To Partly Use Proposed Intl Airport By 2007  
Financial Express, India
 
NEW DELHI, DEC 25:  Even as the International Civil Aviation Organisation 
(ICAO) is preparing a detailed feasibility report on the proposed international 
airport at Mopa in Goa, the state government is likely to complete the process 
of land acquisition with a view to “partly operationalise” the airport by 
2007. 
 
“The formalities of land acquisition is likely to be completed in the next 
two weeks time. Then the project will be put on time chart and progress on the 
project will be monitored by higher authorities,” a senior Goa government 
official has told FE. 

“The government plans to make the airport partly operational in the next 
three years, which includes the main runway and five aerobridges,” he added. 

The state is working on modalities to invite investments from private parties 
on the project. “The joint venture route is likely to be the most viable 
option and a decision in this regard will be announced soon,” he said. 

According to sources, the state government is planning to rope in private 
parties or a consortium with majority of 74 per cent equity stake, balance 26 
per cent equity is likely to be equally divided between the state and the 
Airport Authority of India (AAI). 

Mopa, located in Pernem taluka, is selected as a suitable site over over Quepem 
and Ponda for having vast virgin land. 

The Central government has already approved the site. 

Meanwhile, Goa has become a hot-spot for foreign tourists who are landing at 
Dabolin airport in charter flights. 

“We have received 600 charter flights this year (1.7 lakh tourists), a 60 per 
cent jump from the last year. This has happened because this year Goa (Dabolin) 
airport remained open for 18 hours a day for civilian use,” Goa tourism 
director N Suryanarayana told FE. 

Dabolin airport is owned by the Indian Navy (Ministry of Defence). 

“The proposed Mopa international airport will give tremendous boost to the 
tourism industry of the region,” he said. 

Due to increased number of scheduled flights and four additional trains through 
Konkan Railway, Goa has witnessed the highest number of tourist inflow this 
year. “We have 1.7 lakh foreign tourists through charters and another 2 lakh 
foreign individual tourists (FITs) besides 17.5 lakh domestic travellers,” he 
said. The state had received 16 lakh tourists in 2002. 

“Still a few days left to close the year, the tourists arrival in Goa is 
likely to cross the two million mark in 2003,” Mr Suryanarayana said. 

Out of the total overseas inflow in 2003, the highest 1.2 lakh came from the 
United Kingdom, followed by Russia (45,000), Germany (28,000) and the rest from 
Scandinavian, Gulf and South-East Asian countries, he added. 

The state has launched an aggressive campaign marketing Goa as a destination 
for ‘365 days.’ 
 
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