Dear Chief Minister,
Do we really need Mopa Airport? What about Dabolim Airport? MOPA TAKES WINGS April 24, 2012 TEAM HERALD teamher...@herald-goa.com PANJIM: The process to set up a green field international airport in Mopa which moved at a snail space during last ten years finally got some boost on Monday with the State Government accepting in principle the master plan prepared by the Consultant M/s Amman and Whitney. Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar told media that global tenders for Mopa airport would be floated by September-end and it is likely to be operational by 2015. He said 80 per cent of land for the project has been acquired and remaining would be acquired in the next few days. The estimated cost of the project is Rs. 4000 crore and it will be completed in four phases. The project will also be based on Public Private Partnership and will not incur any financial burden on the Government. Land acquisition for Mopa airport was initiated during the BJP regime in 2002. However, the project was derailed when Congress-led Government came to power in 2005. The former PWD minister Churchill Alemao had vehemently opposed the project as also some locals had moved the Court stating they would lose their only means of livelihood -- agricultural land. Consequently, the land acquisition process lapsed and was reinitiated only after the Government announced that Dabolim airport would not be closed even after Mopa became operational. Of the total land requirement of 2100 acres, the Government has acquired about 1860 acres -- of which 50 acres is transferred by the Government from its own holdings. The land acquisition process has, however, been stuck in Chandel, Varkhand and Casarvarnem as locals have moved the court. Health Minister Laxmikant Parsekar who represents Mandrem, was however, optimistic and said all who have surrendered land would be given higher compensation. The master plan prepared by the consultant was presented before the Mopa Airport Steering Committee which met today. Best Regards, Mario F. D' Costa