Dabolim upgradation work by Feb: Praful

Margao: There’s finally good news in store for Goans over the Dabolim airport.
Union Civil Aviation Minister, Praful Patel on Saturday told Herald that work on the expansion and upgradation of the Dabolim airport would finally commence by mid-February.
In fact, Patel went a step further and reassured Goans that Dabolim will be upgraded as an international airport.
When about the fate of the proposed airport at Mopa if Dabolim is elevated to an international airport, Patel maintained that the airport at Mopa will take care only of the future requirements.
He put to rest all speculations that the Union Government has sanctioned only a few crores of rupees for the upgradation work.
Patel said the Union government has already sanctioned Rs 500 crore for the upgradation work and the government is fully committed to spend the entire money on the expansion work.
In an informal chat with Herald during his brief visit to the city to attend an AIFF seminar on referees in his capacity as the acting President of the All India Football Federation, Patel was categorical in saying that Dabolim airport would be expanded as an international airport.
When pointed out that Goans were eager to know when expansion of the airport would begin, especially in the light of unfulfilled promises made in recent years, Patel said “all the formalities with respect to the upgradation work stands completed.Work would begin by mid-February 2009”.
Incidentally, PWD Minister Churchill Alemao, who came to see the Union Civil Aviation Minister at Hotel Nanutel, was also assured by Patel that expansion work on the airport would begin by mid-February.
04/01/09 Herald

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Categories: Airports Jan 2009