Goa’s second international airport, the upcoming greenfield airport at Mopa plateau in the north, once completed, will have the potential to annually handle 30 million passengers, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar told the State legislative assembly on Thursday.
In a written reply to a question by Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Nilesh Cabral, Mr. Parrikar said the estimated cost of the first phase of the project is ₹1,900 crore. "The Mopa Airport is being constructed in four phases with an annual passenger capacity of 4.4 million in Phase I, 5.8 million Phase II, 9.4 million in Phase III and 13.1 million in Phase IV ... Phase I is expected to start by September 2020," he added. As per the concession agreement between the State government and GMR Goa International Airport Limited, the Mopa airport will be developed as a passenger and a cargo hub.
Mr. Parrikar said that the Dabolim International Airport, which is under naval jurisdiction will continue handling civilian operations even after the commissioning of Mopa Airport.