Today's TOI has a story titled "GPCC panel backs plans for Mopa". In it Francisco Sardinha displays touching faith in the PM's assurance that "there should be n doubt" regarding two-airpor operation in Goa "after the Centre passes a Rs 500 crore budget for Dabolim airport". "After"? There's many a slip twixt cup and lip, right? The worthies in Goa govt (GOG) would be well avised to switch ff the auto-pilot of plans based on high level assurances and start thinking and managing it themselves. As the saying goes, God helps those who help themselves.
As the ICAO itself said in its "draft final report" (to use NT's characterisation) "it is of utmost imprtance for the Government of Goa to establish an airport development strategy " for Mopa which is win-win for both the airports, given "the small amount of airport traffic" of the state. This is what GOG needs to be elaborating on, thoughtfully. Instead it is playing the same old tune of "Mopa will be able to offer the facilities available at other international airports which Dabolim has been unable to offer due to space constraints". This suggests problems of passenger terminal space at Dabolim. The runway is fine for jumbo jets, right? When Mopa was proposed back in 1998, it was suspected that the purpose was a combination of political greed and military craft. The same seems to hold true today too given the peristence over an international airport mega project. It is going to be doubtful if the so-called steering committee which is suposed to be announced any day will do any thing other than its master's bidding.
