The State government wants to turn Dabolim airport into a “ghost airport”. Goans are being told that both Dabolim and Mopa will run at the same time, but in reality GMR is pushing the central government to shut Dabolim and hand it over to the Navy. Mopa mainly benefits North Goa and nearby districts of Maharashtra. It does not serve the entire population of Goa. Many flights land at Mopa early in the morning. However, because of Navy restrictions, several domestic connections run only later in the day. This leads to long waiting times for international passengers who need to travel onwards to Dabolim.
Lower fares at Mopa are being used as a business strategy to weaken Dabolim. As a result, Goans and tourists may end up paying more for taxis to reach South Goa. The Goa government and the BJP-led central government are not in favour of saving or protecting Dabolim airport. They mislead citizens, especially when elections are near. The minister, Mauvin, who speaks about protecting Dabolim, has already been told by the central government to remain quiet. People of Goa must stand up for their rights. As the smallest state, Goa cannot run two airports located so close to each other.
