Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: The user fee levied on passengers at Dabolim airport is expected to decline once the airport’s proposed expansion is completed, the state government has told the Legislative Assembly’s Assurance Committee.
The assurance came during the committee’s examination of passenger user fees at Dabolim and Manohar International Airport at Mopa. The panel, headed by MLA Alexio Reginaldo Lourenco, expressed concern over the steep increase in Dabolim’s user fee, which has risen by more than 550 per cent in four years.
The committee cautioned that continued increases could affect Dabolim’s affordability and its long-term viability for passengers. In its report placed before the Assembly, the panel asked the government to keep a close watch on the fee structure and work towards reducing the burden on travellers.
Officials from the Directorate of Airports told the committee that airport user charges are determined under the tariff framework of the Airports Economic Regulatory Authority (AERA). They explained that the size of an airport’s passenger-use area is one of the factors influencing the fee.
According to the officials, Dabolim currently has a comparatively smaller user area, which contributes to its higher passenger fee, while Mopa has a larger area and consequently a lower charge.
With expansion work planned at Dabolim, the user area is expected to increase. Airport officials told the committee that this expansion would lead to a reduction in the user fee once the additional facilities become operational.
The committee said both airports play an important role in Goa’s connectivity and stressed that passenger charges should be monitored so that rising fees do not discourage the use of Dabolim airport. It has accordingly called for continued government oversight and measures to keep the charges affordable.
