NT NETWORK
PANAJI
Assuring that the Dabolim airport would continue to exist even after the Mopa airport starts functioning, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on Sunday maintained that Goa needs the Mopa airport to cater to the increasing air traffic.
The Dabolim airport cannot be expanded any further as it is a naval airport and the new Mopa airport would not hit operations of the existing airport, he said.
Speaking at Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Indoor Stadium, Taleigao, at a ceremony held to lay the foundation stone for the Mopa airport and the electronic city in Tuem, Parrikar said, “Goa is in need of two airports in order to cater to the needs of passengers which are expected to cross over 8 million in the near future.”
He said the new integrated terminal building of the Dabolim airport can handle only 2.7 million passengers, but it will have to cater to double of its limit. There is no scope for expansion of the existing airport.
“Work on the six-lane corridor from Mopa to end point of South Goa will be done simultaneously,” he said.
Taking a dig at the Opposition, Parrikar said that in the past we saw the previous government making false assurances on work for national highway project and construction of new Zuari bridge. But now with the NDA coming to power at the Centre many infrastructure projects like widening of national highways, the Mopa airport, work for constructing new bridges are being carried out under central funds of not less than Rs 7000-Rs 8000 crore.
Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar said the responses of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other Union ministers to development needs of the state were very positive.
Parsekar praised the Centre for bringing the BRICS Summit and the Defexpo to Goa, which has made the state a major destination for conferences.
“This has enhanced global profile of the state,” he stated, stressing on the need for bigger stadiums.
The ceremony was also attended by Opposition leader Pratapsingh Rane and MLAs Pandurang Madkaikar and Mauvin Godinho.