Navy delayed Dabolim airport expansion: Panel

Panjim: A parliamentary committee headed by Syed Shahnawaz Hussain has faulted the Navy for delay in the renovation and expansion of Goa’s Dabolim airport, according to a report in Deccan Herald.
In its report, the parliamentary committee on petitions said that it is “anguished to note that the expansion of the Dabolim airport was delayed owing to the non-transfer of a piece of land measuring 2.52 acres by the Navy, since they claimed that the land handed over earlier by the State government to the Airports Authority of India (AAI) belonged to them.”
As per the instructions of the State Chief Secretary, a detailed inquiry by the director of transport had concluded that the Navy’s claim could not be supported by the available revenue records and therefore, they should immediately transfer the land to the AAI. The parliamentary committee endorsed this in its report.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation had granted Rs 500 crore for upgradation of the airport, but the work was delayed due to this dispute. The Dabolim airport is located in INS Hansa, the naval air base and, except for the civilian terminal, most of its facilities belong to the Navy.
The AAI maintains a civil enclave of 26 acres of land. The Navy is entrusted with traffic control. Based on a request from the AAI, the State government gave them the land, but the dispute followed.
28/12/08 Herald

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Categories: Airports Dec 2008