Mopa Airport

Mopa International Airport is an under-construction greenfield airport being built at Mopa in Pernem taluka, North Goa district in the State of Goa, India. GMR Goa International Airport Limited (GGIAL), a special purpose vehicle (SPV), will develop the airport.[1] The Rs. 3000 Crore airport will be built under the Build Operate Transfer (BOT) model in four phases, with the first phase costing a total of Rs 1,500 crore. It was expected to be completed by financial year 2019-20,[2] but has been delayed to 2022 due to a Supreme Court order, that impeded work on site.[3]

Mopa International Airport
Summary
Airport typePublic
Owner/OperatorGMR Goa International Airport Limited
LocationMopa, Goa
Coordinates15.7302°N 73.8631°E / 15.7302; 73.8631
Map
Mopa Airport
Mopa Airport

The concession period for the Greenfield project will be 40 years with a possible extension of another 20 years through a bid process. The airport will cater to 4.4 million passengers in the first phase and 13.1 million by the end of the fourth phase.[4] The project will operate on hybrid till model with 30% cross subsidy and the concession offers 232 acres of land for commercial city side development for a period of 60 years.[5] https://dca.goa.gov.in

History

Goa's current airport at Dabolim is a civil enclave operated by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) at a military airfield owned by the Indian Navy. Civilian and military operations share a common runway and result in severe airside congestion. This deters long term growth of civilian traffic at the airport.[4] The Central Government had given its in-principle approval for a second airport in the state of Goa as early as March 2000, however the project was stuck for 14 years due to land acquisition issues and local litigation.

The ICAO's techno-economic feasibility report submitted in 2013, that projected air traffic of 10 million passengers at Goa by 2035, eventually established the feasibility of the Mopa project.[6] The Goa Government issued a Request for Qualification (RFQ) for the project in October 2014[7] Five bidders, GMR Group, GVK Group, the Airports Authority of India (AAI), Essel Infra and Voluptas developers evinced interest. Essel Infra partnered with Zurich Airports, and Voluptas Developers, which belongs to the Hiranandani group tied-up with Vinci Airports, Rome, to bid for the airport project. [8] On October 28, 2015, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change granted environment clearance to the project.[9] The Request for Proposal (RFP) for the project were issued in January 2016, seeking bids from interested companies to construct the airport. Two of the five companies that responded to the RFQ decided not to participate in the RFP.[8] The bids were opened in August 2016. GMR Airports Limited, a subsidiary of GMR Infrastructure Limited won the competitive bid to develop and operate the airport. The Airports Authority of India emerged as the second highest bidder followed by the consortium of Essel Infra-Incheon. In October, GMR Airports Limited formed the SPV called GMR Goa international airport limited (GGIAL) to raise funds for, design, construct and run the project.[1] GMR Airports Ltd signed a concession agreement with the government of Goa on 8 November 2016.[5]

In 2016, the State Government proposed to establish an Aviation Skill Development centre in order to provide employment opportunities at the airport to local youth.[10] The concessionaire would be required to give preference to bona-fide Goans for all jobs at the airport.[11] This Aviation Skill Development Centre was initially to be set up by the concessionaire either at the Pernem ITI campus or any other ITI centre. However, in 2020, the location of the proposed centre was shifted to the airport premises itself.[12]

Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of the project on 13 November 2016.[13] In January 2017, the Goa government declared an area within five km2 radius of the airport as 'Mopa international airport planning area' for the purpose of regulating growth near the project area.[14]

GGIAL and the Union ministry of civil aviation (MoCA) signed a MoU in Delhi on 31 March 2017 for necessary support from the Centre to develop the airport. GGIAL invited tenders for the Engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contract in June 2017, which was awarded to Philippines based Megawide Construction Corporation in February 2018.[15]

The Goa government finally put its stamp on the project by enacting "The Goa (Mopa Airport Development Authority) Act, 2018"[16] on 5 September 2018. Subsequently, the Union Home Ministry gave security clearance for the construction in October 2018.[17] On 18 January 2019, the Supreme Court ordered the Goa government and GGIAL to maintain status quo on the project[18] due to environmental impact. Construction of phase 1 of the airport was underway when the top court had given its order. The Court allowed resuming of construction work at the project site in January 2020.[19]

The state government has acquired 78.41 lakh square metres of land for the proposed airport from villages of Casarvarnem, Chandel, Varconda, Uguem and Mopa in Pernem taluka.[20] GGIAL expects the airport to be in operation by May 2020 or earlier with a Code 'E' compliant, 3.75 kilometre long runway with Rapid Exit Taxiways. The airport will have an Integrated Passenger Terminal Building, Air-traffic control and meteorological facilities, a Cargo terminal and ancillary facilities for processing and storage, Aircraft Rescue & Fire Fighting facilities as well as Infrastructure for Aircraft Fuelling.[21]

See also

References
  1. "GMR forms SPV to raise funds for Mopa airport". The Times of India. 22 October 2016. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
  2. "GMR signs deal with Goa government to develop Mopa airport". The Indian Express. 13 November 2016. Retrieved 3 January 2017.
  3. "Goa's Mopa airport delayed by a year". The Indian Express. 16 July 2019. Retrieved 18 July 2019.
  4. "GMR Infra to develop Mopa airport in Goa". The Economic Times. 26 August 2016. Retrieved 28 August 2016.
  5. "GMR unit signs concession pact for international airport in north Goa". LiveMint. 8 November 2016. Retrieved 16 December 2017.
  6. "ICAO presents feasibility report on Mopa airport". Business Standard. 28 January 2013. Retrieved 16 December 2017.
  7. "Five bidders show interest in Mopa construction". The Times of India. 17 March 2015. Retrieved 16 December 2017.
  8. "Another extension for bids for Mopa airport". The Times of India. 12 July 2016. Retrieved 16 December 2017.
  9. "Environment ministry nod to Rs3,000 cr airport at Mopa in Goa". Live Mint. 29 October 2015. Retrieved 16 December 2017.
  10. "Skill devp centre to help youth get jobs at Greenfield airport". Moneycontrol.com. 8 August 2016. Retrieved 16 May 2020.
  11. "CM promises job opportunities for ITI students at Mopa airport". O Heraldo. 26 March 2016. Retrieved 16 May 2020.
  12. "Aviation Skill Development Centre at Mopa now". Times of India. 14 May 2020. Retrieved 16 May 2020.
  13. "PM Modi lays foundation stone for Mopa greenfield airport in Goa". The Times of India. 13 November 2016. Retrieved 13 November 2016.
  14. "Goa government notifies planning area at Mopa". The Times of India. 16 January 2017. Retrieved 16 December 2017.
  15. "Philippines company picked from 3 to build Mopa airport". The Times of India. 16 February 2018. Retrieved 22 October 2018.
  16. "The Goa (Mopa Airport Development Authority) Act, 2018" (PDF). 5 September 2018. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
  17. "MHA gives security nod for construction of Mopa airport". Indian Express. 17 October 2018. Retrieved 22 October 2018.
  18. "SC stops construction work of airport project at Mopa". The Times of India. 19 January 2019. Retrieved 17 January 2020.
  19. "After a year, SC allows resuming construction of airport at Goa's Mopa". Live Mint. 16 January 2020. Retrieved 17 January 2020.
  20. "Mopa farmers to soon receive 3 times more compensation". The Navhind Times. 6 February 2016. Retrieved 3 January 2017.
  21. "GMR Goa International Airport Project Page". Retrieved 13 November 2016.
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