Scrap Dabolim airort please: MP to PM

Panaji, Jul 17: GPCC President Francisco Sardinha, MP, today renewed his plea with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to review the central cabinet decision to close existing airport at Dabolim in South Goa after the proposed international airport at Mopa is set up in North Goa.

Interacting with mediapersons here, Mr Sardinha, who is also a member of the six-member high level committee set up by Prime Minister on Mopa airport, said, the Centre had already removed the clause that there should not be two airports within a short radius, thus paving way for continuation of Mopa.

It notably Goa Chief Minister Digambar Kamat, as Chairman of the high-power committee, had submitted its report to Manmohan Singh recently in Delhi, in favour of construction of the airport at Mopa on the strength of the feasibility study report of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).

The question of scrapping Dabolim airport would not arise now that the Centre had invested Rs 480 crores for development and expansion of the airport, which was awaiting surrender of land by the Indian Navy, which had now been controlling the airport.

He wished that the authorities speed up the process of acquiring land for the Mopa airport and initiate steps to set up the airport, which was expected to ease the congestion at Dabolim with tourist traffic to Goa, both foreign and domestic, expected to rise rapidly in the years to come.

UNI