1.<Chief Minister, Digambar Kamat has allayed apprehensions raised over the Dabolim airport following the nod given by the high-level committee for a new airport at Mopa and asserted that the Union government would soon tender bids for construction of a new terminal building at Dabolim on par with international standards. That's not all. Kamat said the Navy has already okayed 2.5 acres of land for expansion of Dabolim airport, adding that modalities are being worked out for the transfer of the land from the Navy to the Airport Authority of India.>
This has been hanging fire for a long time. It will have to be seen to be believed. 2.<"The stand of my government is very clear, that the Dabolim airport should be retained as an international airport even after Mopa becomes a reality, Kamat told Herald on Thursday.> Kamat himself has said on national TV that Mopa would be international and Dabolim domestic. Herald said the same thing after the Interim Report of the Task Force on RP 2021. 3.<He said under no circumstances will the government allow the closure of the Dabolim airport after the new airport at Mopa becomes a reality. In this connection, he pointed out that the high-level committee has inserted a host of conditions in its report recommending Mopa airport, including the condition that the Union cabinet will have to reverse its earlier decision on the closure of the Dabolim airport. > The Centre was only politely asked by the high powered committee to "review" its Cabinet decision of March 2000. 4.<Secondly, Kamat said the committee has made it amply clear that the expansion work on the Dabolim airport should be taken up and completed before the new airport comes into existence. In this context, he said Union Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel has issued instructions to the concerned department to float a tender for the construction of a new terminal building at Dabolim.> No report to this effect in the media so far. 5.<On the question of signing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) as demanded by Public Works Department Minister, Churchill Alemao and many other legislators, the Dabolim Airport will not be grounded, assures Kamat chief minister said "Before the government goes for a mode to build the airport, whether on BOOT or otherwise, the government will sign a MoU with the party that Dabolim will continue forever."> If the airport access continues to be a problem (as in Bangalore and Hyderabad) then the developers will nsist on a provision to close Dabolim when Mopa is ready. Otherwise non one will use Mopa and it will be a white elephant (as especially Bangalore would have been without it). If closure is not assured and access is a problem then Mopa cannot be an international airport but more likely a regional one albeit with future aspirations to be international. If access is also taken care of then Dabolim would be at risk of closure as airlines would switch over to Mopa. 6.<Saying the government is committed to retain the Dabolim airport, Kamat said the Dabolim airport will be expanded at a cost of Rs 400 crore. Asked to comment on apprehensions that the Dabolim airport would be used only as a domestic airport after Mopa becomes a reality, thus affecting tourism in South Goa, Kamat said "There is no question of Dabolim being made a domestic airport. It will continue to operate as an international airport. When there are two airports, let the airlines exercise the option where to land their aircraft."> See point #2 above regarding "domestic" and point # 5 about "airlines' options". Now Kamat is veering around to a "split hub" operation. This may not be tenable in this age of acute financial stringency of airlines. They would not be able to duplicate their internationl/domestic oeprations at two places a short distance away. Something would have to give. Kamat has to accept that Goa government would have to play a tricky regulatory role right from the word "Go" if Mopa and Dabolim are to co-exist for the long haul. It had better gear up for it right away. P.S. For starters it should depute a high level person (or two) to the "Aviation Management" program at IIM Ahmedabad Sept 21-27, 2008 (Rs 70K) to begin to imbibe the competences required.
