1. Minister of Tourism in the BJP led Goa government, Mathany Saldhana reportedly said this on Mopa in response to a question in Express Tours & Travels earlier this month:.
Q: Are you in favour of the second airport in Goa? A: We don't really need to support another airport. Goa is a small place. If we need a second airport, we need to make it viable and sustainable, by adding more flights at least 80 flights. The Sea Bird project is ready so the navy could shift thereby providing us full use of the present airport. The Dabolim airport was always civilian property. Look at the old gazettes. So, why waste money on a new airport. We can use the money to help the Navy shift their station from Goa. Its purpose can well be served by the Sea Bird project. The present airport is enough. We can have a long-term vision, which can be fulfilled by shifting the naval station; a new airport is not my priority. Also, having another airport so close to the existing one is not proper. ----- 2. Shortly afterwards, the following news report appeared in the Navhind Times citing the afforts of Churchill Alemao, the South Goa MP in the Congress party which is ruling a the Centre: Dabolim should continue as civilian airport, says Alemao NT News Service Margao, Jan 7, 2005: The South Goa Lok Sabha member, Mr Churchill Alemao reiterated that Dabolim should continue as a civilian airport and that the naval airfield be shifted to Sea Bird at Karwar given the completion of this massive naval project.Mr Alemao has also petitioned the Defence Minister, Mr Pranab Mukherjee who is learnt to have assured him of actively considering his suggestion. He has also written to the Chairman of the Standing Committee on Defence citing historical reasons for shifting the naval base from Dabolim. Mr Alemao said that he has been informed by the Union Civil Aviation Minister, Mr Praful Patel that although Mopa was selected as the site for an international airport, the government is yet to take the final decision. ----- 3. The next day Goanet's Daily News Clippings feature carried this brief report on Alemao's efforts: GOACOM DAILY NEWS CLIPPINGS 09 January, 2005 NO FINAL DECISION ON MOPA AIRPORT: Civil aviation minister Praful Patel informed South Goa Member of Parliament Churchill Alemao that although Mopa was selected as the site for an international airport, no final decision had been taken. The minister was replying to a debate in the parliament. Churchill has been demanding an assurance on the continuance of the civilian airport at Dabolim even in the event of Mopa becoming functional as international airport. (WE-GT) --------- 4. Today, the HERALD carried pretty much the same report about Alemao under the title: "No final decision taken on Mopa, says Praful Patel". ------ 5. How do the two positions compare? ON MOPA 1. Clearly Alemao is interested that Dabolim should continue to serve as a civilian airport even if Mopa materialises. 2. Saldhana is interested in the viability of Mopa (which could perhaps be easily boosted by routing all civilian flights from Dabolim to Mopa!) 3.He therefore hedges by saying "we dont really need to support Mopa (as a new airport)". Thus Saldanha is disinclined to push for Mopa but if push comes to shove he will probably insist on discontinuing civilian flights at Dabolim. Meanwhile, Alemao's priority is to get the Navy out of Dabolim. Saldanha is just echoing Alemao's argument in this latter regard (see below). ON NAVY AND DABOLIM 1. Alemao wants the Navy to shift to Seabird so that Dabolim can be a full fledged civilian facility ALONG WITH Mopa. 2. Saldhana also wants the Navy to relocate to Seabird so that Dabolim can be a full fledged (but SOLE) airport for Goa. MINISTERIAL RESPONSES OF CENTRE 1. The Defence Minister assured Alemao of "active consideration" to his suggestion to relocate the Navy from Dabolim to Seabird. This is a standard bureaucratic delaying tactic. 2. The Civil Aviation Minister told Alemao that "no fnal decision" has been taken on Mopa. Equally bureaucratic delaying tactic. MEANWHILE A team from ICAO, Montreal is supposed to be in Goa from this week to undertake a feasibility study of Mopa which will take 5 months. This will probably serve as input to the decision to "go or no go" at Mopa. One of the options that will no doubt be evaluated is diversion of civilian traffic from Dabolim to increase traffic concentration at Mopa and boost viability. The Civil Aviation Minister's views will become crucial at that juncture. Does he really want Mopa or not? This might well depend on Maharashtra politics! The Defence Minister's views also become crucial. Does he want the Navy to relinquish Dabolim or is he prepared to settle for a joint management system (as in the case of Hawaii's International airport / Hickam Air Force Base). Even in Pune there is a willingness recently on the part of the IAF to "share" airport assets though concrete movement in this direction has yet to materialise. However we will need to see what is planned for the new airport in Bangalore vis a vis traffic at the HAL controlled airport. SO ... watch this space!