PM to inaugurate North Goa's 1st airport in Mopa today
With an aim to boost connectivity, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the Mopa International Airport in North Goa on Sunday. The airport, constructed at a cost of Rs. 2,870 crore, will begin operations from January 5. PM had laid foundation stone of the airport in 2016. The airport comes after years of land acquisition tussle between the government and locals of Mopa village.
Why does this story matter?
The Mopa International Airport would be the second airport in Goa after the Dabolim airport in the southern part of the state. This major development comes amid the central government's relentless endeavor to deliver world-class infrastructure and transport facilities across India. Furthermore, this new airport is going to boost tourism further and assist in the region's socio-economic development.
Mopa airport's key features
This new International airport has been constructed on the sustainable infrastructure theme and has a solar power plant, LED lights on the runway, green buildings, a state-of-the-art sewage treatment plant with recycling facilities, and rainwater harvesting, among other major features. It also integrated some of the best-in-class techs like StabilRoad, 3-D Monolithic Precast buildings, Robomatic Hollow precast walls, and compatible 5G IT infrastructure.
Statement from PMO's office
"Some of the features of the airport include runway capable of handling world's largest aircrafts, 14 parking bays along with night parking facility for aircrafts, self-baggage drop facilities, state of the art and independent air navigation infrastructure, among others," the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said.
North Goa expected to stimulate the state's GDP
In Phase-I, the airport is set to cater to approximately 4.4 million passengers every year. "With a capacity of handling 44 lakh passengers per annum, which is scalable to 330 lakh, the Greenfield International Airport at Mopa in North Goa is expected to stimulate the state's GDP and increase job opportunities," the airport authority told news agency PTI.
Visuals of Goa's new airport
List of new flights at Mopa International Airport
Go First will run 42 direct flights weekly, connecting Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Mumbai from this new airport. Furthermore, IndiGo will also operate 12 daily and 168 weekly flights to link eight cities across India. The new international airport has the prospect of serving as a major logistics hub, directly linking many domestic and international locations.
Major boost for Goa and Dabolim airport
The Dabolim airport allows direct connectivity with six international and 15 domestic destinations. With this new international airport, the count will increase to 18 international and 35 domestic destinations. Currently, the Dabolim airport's passenger handling capacity is around 8.5 million passengers annually.
