And we ain’t joking!!
Goa will now be more accessible to people – both local and foreign.
Mopa Airport is located in North Goa’s Pernem taluk is located on the border of Goa and Maharashtra which makes it Goa’s second international airport while the first one is located in Dabolim and is located close to Vasco town in South Goa.
The first phase of the greenfield international airport at Mopa, that was inaugurated on the 11th of December 2022 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to cater to around 4.4 million passengers per annum (MPPA) in its Phase I, which eventually can be expanded to a saturation capacity of 33 million passengers per annum.
The Infrastructure Of The Airport
Theme:
This state-of-the-art airport at Mopa will be named Manohar International Airport as a tribute to the former Chief Minister of Goa, Manohar Parrikar. Constructed on the concept of sustainability, some of the sustainable means followed by this airport are – building a solar plant, green buildings, rainwater harvesting, LED lights on the runway and a cutting-edge sewage treatment facility with recycling capabilities.
Technology:
Despite the sustainable model of the airport, it would also offer advanced technology assistance like the 5G compatible IT infrastructure, StabilRoad, Robomatic Hollow precast walls, and 3-D Monolithic Precast buildings.
Cargo Terminal:
Although there is no cargo terminal at Dabolim, but Mopa airport will have one with a capacity of 25,000 MT.
Parking:
There will be 14 parking bays along with a night parking facility for aircraft.
Terminal:
Spread over an area of 700,000 square feet, the terminal will have the capacity to accommodate around 1,000 inbound and outbound passengers an hour during peak hours.
Food Court:
It will recreate the charm of a Goan café and it would also have an area designated for local artisans where they can showcase their art.
Runway:
Featuring a single runway 3,750 meter long and 60-meter wide that would be able to accommodate a Boeing 777-200.
Aprons & Hangers:
As of the First Phase aprons will park 18 Code C aircrafts and there will be one hanger which will have sufficient space to park 2 code C aircraft.
The airport whose foundation stone was laid in November 2016, is expected to begin operating flights on January 5 of 2023. A lot of flights will be operating from the new international airport to improve air connectivity in Goa by facilitating the movement of traffic into the state – from 15 domestic and six international locations from Dabolim to 35 domestic and 18 international locations with the opening of the new airport!
IndiGo will operate 12 flights daily and 168 new flights weekly from Mopa airport, connecting to eight cities across the country. And Go First Airline will operate 42 direct flights each week from Mumbai, Hyderabad, and Bengaluru.
With Goa being one the tourist’s hubs of the country that hosts millions of tourists every year, it is no wonder that they needed a second airport, and it wouldn’t come as a surprise if they come up with a third!!
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