Goa's Dabolim airport will not be closed, Minister of State for Civil Aviation VK Singh rubbishes rumors

Panaji: Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation, General VK Singh on Wednesday made it clear that the central government has no plans to close the Goa airport at present. Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation General VK Singh said during a media interaction that the central government has no intention of closing the Goa airport. I am here to clarify that the government will not close down the old Dabolim airport after the new airport is built in Goa.

During the ongoing Company Aviation Safety Officer (CNSO) conference in Goa, General (Retd) VK Singh said that the new airport will be operational in a month or two. A three-day CNSO conference has been organized by the Airport Authority of India (AAI) in Goa. The theme of this three-day CNSO conference is Think Global, Collaborate Regional, Experiment Local.

VK Singh further clarified that this is a baseless rumour. We are very clear that in 2010 a decision was taken in the cabinet, which was accepted by all, that Goa will have two airports, which will run parallel. So there is no question of closing Dabolim airport at the moment.

Goa International Airport is an under-construction greenfield airport being built at Mopa in Pernem taluka of North Goa district. The airport is currently being developed by GMR Goa International Airport Limited at a cost of around Rs 3,000 crore.

Minister of State for Civil Aviation, General VK Singh exuded confidence that the new airport would further boost tourism in the state and the government would run both the airports with equal speed and passion. Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant briefed the people about the operation of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) about the operation of the first flight at Goa's Mopa International Greenfield Airport in September. DGCA successfully test-fired a commercial IndiGo flight from Mumbai on the runway of Mopa airport.