PANAJI
The Goa Human Rights Commission (GHRC) on Wednesday issued a notice to the Director of Goa International Airport, Dabolim, over poor facilities at the airport police station and asked the director to appear in person, or through an authorised representative, on January 23 to submit a reply and take part in a hearing on a review application.
The Commission had earlier taken suo motu cognisance of a news report published on June 20, 2025, which stated that the airport police station has been operating for nearly eight years from a temporary tin cabin measuring about 40 square feet.
In a report submitted to the GHRC, the Director General of Goa Police (DGP) sought a joint inspection of both the existing and proposed sites for the Dabolim airport police station and traffic cell. The DGP, through the Vasco SDPO, suggested that the inspection should include members of the Commission, the Goa police and the airport director to get a clear understanding of the situation on the ground.
During a hearing in November 2025, the GHRC had directed the Airports Authority of India (AAI) to speed up the handover of space at the multi-level car parking building so that the police station could be shifted from the tin structure. The airport director had informed the Commission that space in the basement of the parking building had been identified for the police station and traffic cell.
The Commission then directed the airport authorities to hand over the space within 30 days and asked the DGP to ensure installation of the required infrastructure within 60 days. However, in a fresh report, the DGP stated that the proposed space of 190 square metres in the parking building would not solve the issue. The report said the Dabolim airport police station and traffic cell are currently functioning from porta cabins with a total built-up area of 182 square metres on a plot of 462 square metres provided by the AAI, with open space used for staff briefings and for the public.
It added that providing only 190 square metres in the parking building would not improve the situation and that the shortage of space would continue or worsen due to lack of adequate area.
