AAI asks Navy to transfer 8.77 acres for Goa Airport expansion

Panaji, Mar 5 (UNI) The Airport Authority of India (AAI) has requested the Indian Navy to transfer 8.77 acres of land to facilitate expansion of the Dabolim airport in Goa but there has not been any compliance so far.

Stating this in reply to a starred question of Francis D'Souza (BJP), Chief Minister Pratapsinh Rane told the state Legislative Assembly that the AAI had a plan to expand the aircraft parking zone and build a new international terminal building along with ancillary facilities such as cargo complex and extended car parking.

The state government had handed over 9.87 acres to the AAI for the purpose but the Navy had not yet complied with the request. The airport, at present, is operating in 25.696 acres, he said.

In reply to another question, the Chief Minister said various airlines had operated 2252 flights in January 2007 as against 19,120 in the year 2006, 14,730 in 2005 and 10,726 in 2004 from Dabolim airport.

They included eight domestic and one international (Srilankan airlines) flights besides 16 chartered flights from abroad.

Of them, 690 chartered flights landed in Goa during 2004-05, 719 during 2005-06 and 386 till January 2006 from October 1,2006.

With the increase in chartered flights, the number of passengers had also increased from 1,58,993 in 2004-05 to 1,80,310 in 2005-06 and 97,804 till January 31,2007 from October 2006, according to deputy chief minister Dr Wilfred De Souza in charge of tourism.

UNI