Dabolim airport will continue ops for civil, Navy use, says CM

Panaji: CM Pramod Sawant on Friday said that Goa International Airport at Dabolim will continue operating for both civilian and Navy use. He said that Union govt spent about Rs 400 crore on infrastructure development at the Dabolim airport and did not do so to hand it over to the Navy.There is no proposal, plan, or intention on the part of state govt to shut down civilian operation at Dabolim airport as it continues to play a vital role in ensuring connectivity, supporting tourism, facilitating trade, and sustaining livelihoods, particularly in South Goa, the CM said.

He accused South Goa MP Capt (retd) Viriato Fernandes of making statements about the airport to mislead the public for political gains.The CM said that defence minister Rajnath Singh had assured that the Dabolim airport would not be closed to the public.He said even the state cabinet took a decision that Dabolim would not be shut. “Both the airports at Dabolim and Mopa will remain operational in the state,” Sawant said.He said that since elections are approaching, the opposition wants to raise some issues, and they raise the Dabolim airport issue again and again.

“I am making a clear-cut statement that Dabolim airport will not be closed. We are spending Rs 550 crore to construct an elevated bridge near the airport, and in the past five years around Rs 400 crore was spent on the airport at Dabolim,” the CM said.Sawant said that when so much money was spent, it was not spent to hand it over to the Navy. “The airport will be used by both the public and the Navy. Dabolim airport will be permanently operational, and the opposition should stop politicising the issue,” he said.“Govt urges all stakeholders and the public not to be misled by unfounded claims,” the CM said.“Henceforth, political parties should not fight the election on the Dabolim airport issue,” Sawant said.He said that the South Goa MP every time stands in front of Parliament and does political stunts, and makes statements outside Parliament to raise his political stature. “Parliament House is a temple of democracy, and he should use it for good work.

He should not make statements to increase his political mileage.”Fernandes created a political storm on Thursday by claiming state govt gave its consent to Centre to shut down the airport at Dabolim for commercial and civil operations. He termed it a “shocking betrayal” of Goans.“We received confidential information that Goa govt has compromised over the issue of the continuance of Dabolim airport. The file has already moved,” Fernandes had said, and added that 4.5 to 5 lakh people dependent directly or indirectly on the airport would be left jobless. “This is like striking at Goa’s economy. People won’t forgive this betrayal by Goa’s ministers,” he had said.