CM inspects Goa airport for expansion, land transfer to AAI soon

Panaji, Oct 12 (UNI) The Indian Navy is likely to transfer a piece of land to the Airports Authority of India (AAI) in a month to facilitate the expansion of the Goa airport at Dhabolim to accommodate bigger aircraft and cope with the increased demand for charter aircrafts landing in the state.

The Naval authorities hinted at this land transfer during the visit today of Chief Minister Pratapsinh Rane to the airport under the control of the Indian Navy.

Earlier, the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation gave its nod for expansion of the airport and had earmarked funds for the purpose so that Goa could be in a position to receive more chartered aircraft from different parts of the globe to promote tourism in the international tourist destination.

A proposal, though controversial, had also been made to build another international airport under private-public-participation at Mopa in North Goa.

A centrally-appointed committee, headed by the Chief Minister himself, was probing into the merits and demerits of setting up of the airport at Mopa in the light of the criticism for and against it by the divided partymen.

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