Team Goemkarponn
New Delhi: Serious allegations were raised in the Lok Sabha on Thursday over the controversial flyover being constructed in front of Dabolim Airport in South Goa, with South Goa MP Captain Viriato Fernandes accusing the government of facilitating an alleged scam linked to the project.
Raising the issue during a starred question, Captain Fernandes alleged that the flyover was constructed with two specific objectives — to facilitate the transportation of coal imported by the Adani Group from the Mormugao Port Authority to other states, and to deliberately undermine and eventually shut down Dabolim Airport.
He claimed that the construction of the flyover involves pillars that exceed the prescribed Obstacle Limitation Surface (OLS) norms, posing a direct threat to aviation safety. “These violations cannot be brushed aside as mere technical issues. There is a blatant disregard for safety regulations and public interest,” the MP told the House.
Expressing dissatisfaction with the reply given by the Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways, Captain Fernandes demanded accountability and called for officials of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways to be held responsible. He alleged that the violations have resulted in significant financial losses.
The South Goa MP further accused the government of spending huge amounts of public money on infrastructure aimed at supporting coal transportation, while vested interests within the state government, including a local minister, were allegedly attempting to shut down Dabolim Airport through indirect and unfair means such as the flyover project.
The allegations made on the floor of the Lok Sabha have brought aviation safety, transparency in infrastructure projects, and the use of public funds under sharp scrutiny, intensifying the debate around the future of Dabolim Airport.
