The Goa international airport, which is also known as the Dabolim airport, will get a new lease of life as the Airports Authority of India (AAI) plans to upgrade facilities for flight operations and passengers over the next three years at an estimated cost of Rs 500 crore.
The AAI today unveiled its short-term and long-term plans for Goa airport, including introduction of new facilities and reworking on the existing systems to shed the disrepute of being a "congested" facility.
"While the short term measures would be in place within the next two-three months, the long term ones would be executed over the next three years," AAI chairman Guruprasad Mohapatra told reporters in Vasco.
The AAI has projected investment of Rs 500 crore for the infrastructure development, that would be rolled out over next three years at this Portuguese-era facility located at Indian Navy's INS Hansa base near Vasco town. The operations of the airport had been shifted to a new terminal building in 2013.
"Due to the absence of a parallel track, the airport is facing huge constraints in handling the flights as the time consumed in landing and taxiing is prolonged," Mohapatra said.
As per the AAI's plan, a parallel taxiway would be constructed within the next one and half years by demolishing the old airport terminal building, which has been left unused, ever since the operations were shifted to the new building.
The AAI has also planned to construct three more aerobridges, new toilets, escalators and create more space for passengers, he said.
"You will be able to see distinct improvement once these facilities are in place," the official said.
Mohapatra said that presently 80 flights operate from the airport on a daily basis, including the international ones. "But the current runway will be able to handle 40-50 per cent more flights once facilities are installed at the airport," he said.
"The airport handles close to six million passengers annually and the footfalls will grow in the years to come," the official added.
He said people will be able to see distinctive changes in the airport by the end of 2017 once the short term measures are put in place.
"Goa airport has been listed as one of the top six
facilities by AAI, which has been taken out of the purview of its regional office and brought directly under the control of the headquarters along with the facilities in Kolkata, Chennai, Ahmedabad and Jaipur," he said.
Mohapatra admitted that presently, the airport faces time constraints as it was a naval facility.
"The slot between 12.30-3.30 pm handles 60 per cent of the flights. I have spoken to the airport director and told him to maintain discipline within the airlines community by having consultations with them," he said.
The official also allayed fears that the Goa airport would be discontinued once the international facility at Mopa starts functioning.
"Goa is an important tourist destination, so even when Mopa airport would be in place, Dabolim would continue. Mopa is for North and Dabolim is for South Goa. Both have unique advantages, disadvantages, limitations and constraints. I don't see any conflict in between," Mohapatra said.
