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RE: Gilbert Menezes' of Nov 6 on the subject This is a a good intervention based on the emerging multi-airport perspective. Perhaps due to the newnesss of the concept, the picturisation of Seabird and Mopa is inadequate and the author has inadvertently ended up playing into the hands of vested interests (Navy and the south Goa hotel lobby) and pushing for the status quo at Dabolim. We will touch on Seabird and Mopa later but first a word about the motivation in the Navy to downsize in Mumbai and shift to Seabird. Two somewhat contradictory reasons are given. One is the congestion in Bombay harbour which is a good sign as far as Dabolim airport is concerned because the Navy does seem to respond to the build up of civilian needs and will hopefully see the handwriting on the wall there (at Dabolim) too. The other is to get out of the strike range of Pak aircraft which seems a bit defensive rather than "strategic" and not altogether flattering! However, it is unfortunate that Seabird is being portrayed as somewhat suboptimal (a glorified repair dock) and the airfield itself is almost an afterthought. Either this facility is being purposely downplayed to avoid the shift out of Dabolim or the Navy is constantly bungling its airport planning (perhaps due to its "core competence" being in naval rather than aerial warfare). As for Mopa, the author categorically states that it does not make "any economic sense" and that it will never "see the light of day". What he has overlooked (or is actively preventing people from realising) is that economic viability may be just a matter of putting pen to paper and stopping civilian flights at Dabolim so that they have to use Mopa. Then what happens to the south Goa businesses which depend on Dabolim? No point in playing the ostrich. It is not just Kochi which has moved from a military controlled airfield to a greenfield international airport. Bangalore is also on the same track. The challenge for Goa is to somehow set a NEW precedent and have civilian flights continue and even expand at Dabolim --- even as Mopa is built up. The city of London has 5 airports! The reason is the global trend towards low cost domestic air travel which is defeated by costly new airports and excessive distance to/from business and other centres. The Bangalore experience needs close watching as more than any other Indian city it is emerging as a capital of low cost carrier Air Deccan (although Mumbai and Delhi benefit from apex type fares of all the majors). Will the Goan people demand a much better deal for civilian flights at Dabolim for the sake of low cost domestic air travel to and from Goa and see to it that their leaders take up the matter actively with central including defense authorities? That is the crux of the challenge which this issue poses. Let's hope the people of Goa take an enlightened and courageous stand.
