<Often, Goa's delivery has been much lower than promises! FN>[May 27]
The question here is who in Goa is part of this grandiose scheme? We were aware that the ICAO was launching a 5 month study of the Mopa proposal in January. But subsequent progress reports in the print media have been absolutely zero. Now we are told that among the states "Goa is leading the pack" in aviation plans! The lack of people's inputs into meaningfully planning such facilities is disappointing to say the least. Strangely enough there is no mention of the cost of this proposal though we are told it will take nearly a decade to complete the first phase. Looks like a very long drawn out process has been built into the planning perhaps under the guise of extra special "A380 requirements". At the same time some odd references are made to connectivity with hill billy places like Sindhdurg, Sangli, Kolhapur etc. A helipad is also part of the plan. It even goes so far as to say " the suggestion is to develop an AIRPORT CITY with a hotel, business centre, golf course, accommodation for employees and an elaborate road network." (emphasis ours). The fundamental issue that has been sidestepped is the status of civlian flights at Dabolim when (and if) Mopa is commissioned. The nub of Navy control is convenienly glossed over by misleading references to the "huge constraint" of slot availability for charters. The prevailing mindset is to shut down an existing facility (in this case at Dabolim) to funnel traffic to a privatised greenfield airport (viz at Mopa). I hope this will not be acceptable to the South Goa hoteliers brigade, the Goa Government and AAI. AAI should be reminded of their shortsightedness in relinquishing control over Juhu airport twenty-thirty years ago and finding now that it is indispensable. I personally feel a new airport at Mopa is a necessity for the "city-state" of Goa. But this may not be the way to go about it. Let's hope some sensible heads prevail.
