Transport minister Mauvin Godinho while chairing a joint meeting with heads of various departments on Friday evening.
Photo Credits: Vikram Nayak
VASCO
Transport Minister Mauvin Godinho on Friday made it clear that Dabolim airport is here to stay as air traffic continues to increase in the State.
Godinho convened a joint meeting with South Goa Hoteliers Association in the presence of various departments like Navy, RTO, Goa Airport, KTC, transport department, tourism representatives and other stakeholders.
“Dabolim airport has served us for a long time and huge money has been spent and hence, we want to see how things can improve further. The old terminal is being developed and will be ready by September and this sends a very strong message that Dabolim Airport will continue to serve the people in a better way,” said Godinho.
“Tour operators plan well in advance for the tourist season and the Navy has gone out of its way to accommodate more civilian flights so that more landing and departures can happen at Dabolim Airport and statistics show that the Dabolim airport has handled more flights than expected.”
"We are looking at every aspect of Dabolim Airport including parking, transport, enforcement against illegal taxis and touts so that people feel more comfortable travelling from Dabolim. Beautification along the airport and outside the airport will be undertaken by the South Goa Hoteliers.”
The minister said a new parking facility is coming up and there will be 32 new additional check-in counters at Dabolim Airport.
Navy Commodore Ashish Bhargava said there was request for additional traffic in the last few days.
"Over the last month and the next month, we are likely to have additional increase in air traffic. As far as landing slots are concerned, we have offered as many as 340 slots which the airlines are not able to match up and there is no shortage of slots.”
“Right now, we have around 150 vacant slots that the airlines can use and we have upgraded our airport so that aircraft can land in poor visibility during monsoons as well," said Bhargav.
Goa Airport Director Dhanamjaya Rao said there was no reduction in flights at Dabolim Airport.
"The summer schedule is already filed wherein, we are having on an average around 87 flights per day and statistics show that from January 5 to January 11, we have handled 90 and above flights on average per day and some days we have crossed 100 flights.”
“There is no question of reducing traffic and some airlines are asking for additional slots and we are also pursuing airlines to come to Dabolim.”
“The multipurpose parking facility will come up soon and we have also developed another parking facility as well. We have informed the police to look into illegal parking of cars at the airport," said Rao.
