PANAJI
As the Manohar International Airport, Mopa commenced operations on Thursday and social media went abuzz with the facility’s exotic looks and grand welcome of the first flight passengers, GMR Group has proposed to upgrade the facility by creating Aerocity and Amusement Park in the near future.
GMR President and CEO Ranganathan Venkata Sheshan revealed the company’s plans for the much-hyped second airport in Goa.
“The Mopa airport is slightly different from other airports, which are mostly corporate airports that draw business travellers. Goa, on the other hand, is a tourist destination and we want to build an Aerocity with the concept of Destination Airport,” he said.
The Group had recently stated that it is developing three major Greenfield airport projects across India and Greece. While the first phase of the Mopa airport is ready; GMR, last November claimed it is poised to transform the economy and landscape of the surrounding areas (at Mopa and Bhogapuram in Andhra Pradesh ) when ready.
As a pioneer in implementing the path-breaking Aerotropolis concept in India, GMR Airports is developing unique airport cities on commercial lands available around its airports in Delhi, Hyderabad, and Goa.
Sheshan explained that Mopa airport will have its own fun cities and amusement park not for tourists only but for Goans too. “We want people to come and enjoy the atmosphere, hospitality and the green environment,” he said.
The GMR's latest media release stated that Delhi Aerocity is a landmark business, leisure, and experiential district. Similarly, GMR Hyderabad Aerocity is coming up as a new-age smart business hub.
With Sheshan's fresh announcement, Mopa airport is also added to the list with a detailed proposal in the process of being drafted.
