SURAJ NANDREKAR/
Goemkarponn
PANAJI: Ever since Goemkarponn broke the story of the Airport Economic Regulatory Authority (AERA) report last week, which said that the new Greenfield airport at Mopa would not be viable unless Dabolim is shut, the social media has gone berserk over the issue.
The very next day, Goencho Ekvott president Swapnesh Sherlekar put out a post on social media claiming that the decision to shut down Dabolim was taken long back, even before the Mopa airport was being conceptualised.
He quoted a Ministry of Civil Aviation letter written to the Goa Chief Secretary on 01/05/2000, which made clear Dabolim would be closed post-Mopa.
“I am directed to say that the union Cabinet, in its meeting held on 29th March 2000, has approved:
a) Setting up a new airport of international standards Mopa in line as per the institutional framework mentioned below.
b) Closing of the existing airport at Goa for civilian operations on commissioning of the new airport: and
c) A Commitment that the proposed airport at Mopa will be declared as an international airport on its commissioning in case it has all the necessary infrastructure facilities required for an international airport,” said the letter from Ministry of Civil Aviation to Goa Chief Secretary then Mr Ashok Nath.
The letter at (b) clearly says Dabolim will have to be shut when Mopa comes up.
At this time, Atal Bihari Vajpayeeji was the Prime Minister of India, and Manohar Parrikar supported the Goan People’s Party Government led by Francisco Sardinha, who is now Congress MP of South Goa.
Congress Saved Dabolim in 2010
Now, Goemkarponn has laid its hands on a letter dated 1st July 2010 from the Ministry of Civil Aviation, which said about Setting up of a new Greenfield international airport at Mopa in Goa – Continuation of commercial operations at Dabolim Civil Enclave-reg.
“I am directed to refer to this Ministry’s letter No. AV. 20015/08/1995-VB(Vol. 1II) dated 01.05.2000 (copy enclosed) regarding the setting up of a greenfield airport at Mopa in Goa. In a modification of the earlier decision, the government of India has approved the proposal of the State Government of Goa for the continuation of civilian operations at Dabolim Civil Aviation Enclave, even after the commissioning of the new international airport at Mopa,” the letter to Goa CS from MCA said.
At this time, Dr Manmohan Singh-led UPA-2 Government was at the Centre, and the Digambar Kamat-led Government (2007-12) was in power at the Goa State when the decision was amended to allow the CONTINUATION OF CIVILIAN FLIGHTS AT DABOLIM AIRPORT in modification of the earlier decision ten years earlier.
The then Collector of North Goa & Director of MOPA Airport, Mihir Vardhan IAS, is still in Goa as OSD to Governor.
Question about Viability…
While the decision to shut down Dabolim was taken in 2000 and to continue in 2010, the question remains whether it would be economin=cally viable.
The question raised by AERA is whether there would be enough traffic for both airports for Mopa to be viable?
Dabolim is centrally located and equ-distant to North and South Goans, but the issue is it is small, with not enough space for traffic and airline parking, being a defence airport.
If Mopa does not get enough traffic, Dabolim may have to be shut down as GMR, and the project proponent will share 37 p.c of revenue with Goa Government.