-------------------------------------------------------------------------- | Add your name to the CLEAN GOA INITIATIVE | | | | by visiting this link and following the instructions therein | | | | http://shire.symonds.net/pipermail/goanet/2005-October/033926.html | -------------------------------------------------------------------------- In HERALD of Nov 23 there is a report titled "Belgaum airport to get a Rs 15 cr facelift". This is essentially a civil engineering project involving re-carpeting of the runway to extend it to 5500 feet (for ATRs), construction of an all weather perimeter road (for security), widening of the approach road from (8 feet to 16 feet), installation a "simple" approach lighting system (on the runway), upgradation of runway edge lights, aircraft parking bay construction, and a paved car parking lot.
Compared to this the plan for Mopa (details of which seem to appear only in tits and bits) is said to run into about Rs 1000 (one thousand) crores! Clearly Mopa seems more of a real estate project than a straightforward airport project. In addition, we can estimate that a naval air station (NAS) at Yenkebe (along side Seabird) should not cost more than Rs 50 (fifty) crores considering that it would be primarily or initially needed for trainer aircraft (maybe like the Kiran Mark II jet used in the IFFI inaugural parade). So --- Let's get the financials of Mopa and Yenkebe right so that crucial decisions about Goa's aviation sector are based on sound reasoning and not hot air.
