The following article is forwarded to me by my ex Kuwait Goan friend Sebastian Rodrigues. Since I find it very interesting, I publish it in goa-kranti.blogspot.com for the benefit of Kranti readers. AVF,
QUOTE:
Every person agrees that Goa needs state of art international airport. Some say navy should give land. Some further add navy should vacate goa. Let us see facts and figures.
Recently Goan weekly had published figures of land holding of Government of India in goa.
i. Land with airport authority at Dabolim – 36815 sqm
ii. Land with navy at Dabolim - 3,17,556 sqm
iii. Net total - 4,08,371 sqm
One runway for modern jets requires 3475m length and 45m width. 200m wide land strip is needed as freeway including runway shoulders on either side of runway (European aviation safety agency manual) Minimum Hz. Clearance between two run ways is 760 M Even Dubai airport has runway length 5.4km. Hence required area for one freeway will be 6,95,000 sqm. Besides this, area required for taxi way, terminal building, parking bays, maintenance area, cargo area and terminal area, vehicle parking and area required for other infrastructural facilities.
Now look at Mopa, total land area being acquired is 91, 71,000 sqm, out of this 58,66,000 sqm has already been acquired. Now million dollar question is whether Dabolim can accommodate domestic as well as international Airport with 2 runways? Total Land available at Dabolim is 4,08,371 sqm. Including land in possession with Navy at Dabolim., where as mopa can provide 58,66,000 sqm which is already available with the government.
Secondly mopa phase I will need Funding to tune of Rs.1230 crores(205 million $). Can we divert public fund for the airport instead of utilizing for pressing needs of health, education, roads, electricity and water. On the contrary, mopa airport will be privately funded green field project. Hence profitability of mopa airport with functional Dabolim domestic airport has to be accounted by the bidder, not by government.
Thirdly, international tourists are flying thousands of kilometers after well researched destination study, hence travelling from mopa to canacona will not tilt balance in favour of vengurla or malvan. It will be naïve to think that tourists flying thousands of kilometers will prefer to stay in and around pernem for holidays only due to proximity of airport.
Last but not the least, mopa airport will trigger development in hinter land of pernem, bardez, bicholim, sattari, tiswadi and ponda. Vast track of agricultural land will turn into vegetable, horticulture , dairy and service industry backyard for touristic demand to the tune of 60 lac tourist / yr. The total area of north goa is 1,73,600 hector having population to the tune of 8.18 lacs. Some fear that only north goa will be benefitted due to mopa. For the sake of argument, let us presume it is correct. Total area of north goa to the tune of 1,73,600 hector having population of 8.18 lac will be benefitted by sacrificing the area of 917 hector for airport . The affected land owners can be compensated with the market rate for land and partnership in the development. Friends, is it not worth?
Some fear that, part of Maharashtra will be benefitted due to Mopa air port. The konkan tourism will develop with mopa or without mopa as domestic airport at chipi is under construction. In fact, Mopa airport will provide better opportunities for Goan investors to invest in kokan hinter lands. Some investors have already taken such steps, hence mopa airport will increase the net worth of Goans.
This issue is not north versus south. Issue is grabbing only available opportunity to create lakhs of jobs in tourism, service sector for unemployed Goan youth.
The famous writer Dante in his epic poem, The Divine Comedy
“The darkest places in hell are reserved for those who maintain their neutrality in times of moral crisis”
Friends, finally choice rest with Goan youths
UNQUOTE".