< I don't see any need for a second airport at Goa (after all, money for this lavish infrastructure comes from we, the people Especially those of us who are stupid enough to pay our taxes regularly). Secondly, I don't see why the Navy's pilot training cannot be shifted to Karwar, which is just as beautiful ( I am a half Karwari) but not a money-spinning tourist destination.>[Sucheta Dalal, June 25]
I would like to respond to these two points in reverse order as I believe Dabolim is primary and Mopa is secondary. 1. Any objective review is bound to show that the Navy really has no business in Dabolim any more. But they dont seem to be amenable, in the least, to discussion or persuasion. I have concluded that their professional (as opposed to personal) mindset allows them only to take orders. In other words, they will budge from Dabolim only if ordered to do so! So the question that follows is: whose orders will they take? This is the million dollar question. I feel that Dabolim is not an isolated case in the aviation scenario. Kochi, Bangalore and Pune, to my knowledge, all had similar problems of turf. The way out in the first two cases was to build greenfield airports and effect the "clean separation" some have advocated. This is the traditional approach we are up against as that is what people have come to expect in this kind of a situation. However, in the case of Pune, the Air Force has recently shown some commendable flexibility and agreed to the needs for 40% more watch hours for civilian flights w.e.f. Aug 1. But Pune also has a Plan B: viz a greenfield airport at Chakan. Will civilian flights continue at Lohegaon once Chakan is ready in a few years time? This is what we want at Dabolim.. an easing up by the Navy at Dabolim and a continuation of civilian flights when Mopa comes up (see below). Joint civilian /military flights necessitate effective joint management, not the step motherly treatment the Navy is extending as at present. As a result of the latter people (like Sucheta) either do not seem to realise that the Navy is actually controlling Dabolim or they feel that the present conditions there may be solely due to the stupidity of the airlines and AAI. I have found that in Hawaii there is supposed to be effective joint management of the international airport and air force base both of which consequently function as an integrated facility. Why cant this model be followed in spirit at least at Dabolim and other important air bases/air ports? In the U.S they have also had what is called Base Realignment And Closure (BRAC) reviews periodically over the past 10-20 years to evaluate the military value of facilities as times change and effect necessary alterations in their configuration . A big one was completed only recently (last month in fact). It seems jointness (as between the three or four military wings) was stressed this time for the sake of synergy and economy. Given the unanticipated pressure posed by low cost civil aviation on our meagre airport infrastructure, this may be the best opportunity to press for a similar high level review of air bases in India including Dabolim. This review must be launched and implemented before the pressure on airport infrastructure is relieved by the planned modernisation of Mumbai and Delhi and 30 nonmetro airports. This gives us a window of only about 3-5 years depending on the extent to which low cost aviation takes off in India. Dabolim may indeed be a tough nut to crack but a serious effort needs to be made by all concerned especially now. 2. As stated at the outset, Mopa is secondary. It is necessary but not at the cost of losing Dabolim to knee jerk aviation policy. Besides the basic issue here is what kind of airport is planned at Mopa -- whether a futuristic "Taj Mahal for A380s" taking 10-15 years to start or a cheap and cheerful one from which low cost airlines can operate, pronto. I firmly believe that it is only the latter which is needed at Mopa for the foreseeable future. The emphasis should be on runways, control towers, parking bays and perimeter fencing -- not concourses, shopping malls, golf courses, convention centres, amusement parks and the like. The latter should be a matter of evolution in the natural course not upfront planning and investment especially by the state. The trouble is politicians get mesmerised by high falutin plans and power point presentations and saddle the people with white elephants while builders, promoters and their ilk laugh all the way to the bank. I greatly appreciate the opportunity to dilate on the issue of Goa's aviation situation. I thank Sucheta Dalal for her valuable interest and support and fellow goanetters for shaping my thinking on the subject over the past several months.
