<1) The efficient airports in the world are run by companies that are established to make profits. All that any govt should be concerned about is providing basic health, education and utility services for its residents. Every time the govt tries to use taxes to run what should be for profit enterprises, the govt will wind up using tax payers money to subsidize the project. Good tax money is burnt on unprofitable ventures.2) Montreal has the mothers of all dual airports. Both airports are unprofitable as they have to compete against each other.3) Every air force flight that takes off from Dabolim is burning your tax rupees, removing money from the economy. Every civilian flight that arrives at Dabolim brings tourists with (spending) money to boost the Goan economy. The sooner the centre comes to its senses, the better it is going to be for the residents of Goa.>[Mervyn Lobo]
1) The last time I checked there were only a handful of airports around the world set up by "companies". BAA in the UK may be one. The others are in India! 2) No one denies that the two airport system of Montreal has had problems. That may have led to the over-reaction in the industry of closing an existing airport to boost the new one. This is what happened at Bangkok until other problems forced a reopening of the old. It wont be a bed of roses for Goa either but the onus is on the government of Goa to do what is in the best interests of its people. Blindly relying on mantras like "two airports can co-exist", "PPP is the answer", "let investors decide" etc is not the answer. 3) I can empathise with your reasoning but in the end it may just be wishful thinking in the national security context and given the state of the civilian-military interface in India. Good luck in your efforts.
