[IU]

Goa's new international airport at Mopa (North Goa) has been in the works for some time now, so let's use this thread for related updates. It'll be developed on a PPP basis (like Hyd, B'lore) and be ready by around 2016.

The Central government approved the project in June 2010 and NY based Ammann & Whitney was appointed as the technical consultant in April 2011.


Approx Location (view on google maps):

- The state borders aren't visible here, but it'll be located right on the border with Maharashtra. The current airport at Dabolim is 40 kms from the site and will continue to house the Indian Navy's INS Hansa air station.

From what I've gathered, the airport will be located on top of a plateau and will be connected with NH66 (old NH17) via a 6 lane - 6kms road.


Current Status:

• Land Acquisition is underway. According to this, the govt. has already acquired 1,269 acres of land and 600 acres are under litigation

• The tender inviting a private company to build and operate the airport was supposed to be issued in January 2012 but has been delayed.

 

[GF1011]

Another table-top Airport? hno:

 

[IU]

One crash and you've written off such airports? Hopefully they would take that incident into account and maximize the runway end safety area among other necessary things.

 

[p2p4]

Konkan table tops are not all that dangerous as u make them out to be. I am from that region and I know my land's geographic terrain

 

[GF1011]

One crash and you've writen off such airports? Hopefully they would take that incident into account and maximize the runway end safety area among other necessary things.

Agreed. table-top runways aren't unsafe in general. But an AAI table top?
Add to that the public pressure that demands longer runways and 'international status' more than RESAs. hno:
I too hope it will be a safer airport if it is run by a private (read accountable) company as compared to a 'public sector undertaking' who will just stand by and stare at big gaping flaws in their safety standards and then pass the buck when an accident does happen.

I am from that region and I know my land's geographic terrain

Yes mamaji, i know

 

[IU]

The riffraff will be hived off during the financial and technical bidding, ensuring that only the reputed/accountable companies with considerable aviation experience move onto the next stage.

If anything, I'm just glad they're going the PPP way with this project.

 

[IU]

Now that the BJP has won in Goa, hopefully they'll follow through with their promise.

Dec 1: 'BJP will hike compensation to farmers'

PANAJI: Blasting the government for its failure to have a land acquisition policy, opposition leader Manohar Parrikar on Wednesday said if the BJP comes to power, it will pay affected farmers of land acquired for Mopa airport and Pernem sport city, compensation at the rate between 300 to 400 a square metre.

They've always been a proponent of the project so I've got my hopes high.

The clowns at Trinamool and JDU had promised to return the land if they won the elections. Congress tried pleasing both the north and south Goans by saying they'd ensure both airports will be operational.

 

[rutvij]

Great to hear this is finally making a headway! Enough of that "This is Defence (navy) Aerodrome and you can't land after this time, and before this" tantrum! :bash:

If this is another Airport on a table top, I'ld still welcome it. The Topography, as rightly pointed out by p2p4, is not like what you would find in Southern India with high mountaineous region and deep valleys. Approaches would be straight in, and hopefully with enough length of the Runways, it shouldn't be much of a problem. Besides, monsoons in Goa are pleasant!

What makes me wonder now is what Policies/Frameworks are in place, since the Mangalore Tragedy with IX, to prevent further occurrences, for both Brownfield and Greenfield Airports!

Have enough checks and balances put in place when new Airport projects are approved by the MOCA/AAI/DGCA?

Few Pointers:
- Proper Runway Lengths for the Codes expected to Arrive.
- Topographical Conditions, and effective Runway Lengths.
- Displaced Thresholds.
- Prevalent Weather phenomenon.

After goin through the RInfra presentation on MM1, just can't stop thinking about all this for all the new projects coming up.

------

Oh and btw, this also opens up GOI for Overnight parking, and quick Late Night/Early Morning flights. Any idea how far has the proposal reached?

 

[IU]

some movement..

March 10: Mopa gets 200 cr from Finance Commission

Panaji, March 10 - 13th Finance Commission has sanctioned financial assistance of Rs 200 crores to Goa for setting up of Greenfield international airport at Mopa- Pernem.

"With the allotment of Rs 200 crores, we will have to expedite the works pertaining to land acquisition for Mopa airport", said joint finance secretary of government of Goa Anand Sherkhane while speaking to Digital Goa at secretariat Porvorim.
Rs 200 crores sanctioned in 13th Finance Commission is 35 percent higher as compared to assistance given by 12th finance commission. He expressed confidence that the Centre will share 40 percent of the total cost incurred on Mopa airport.

April 4: Mopa land losers to get market price

PANAJI: The Revenue Minister, Mr Francis D’Souza said that the process of re-acquisition of land on the Mopa plateau in Pernem taluka for the construction of the proposed Greenfield international airport would begin soon.

“The Mopa international airport is a necessity,” the Revenue Minister observed, adding that this time around, the land losers whose land would be acquired by the government will get adequately compensated. “I will ensure that these people receive prevailing value for their land,” he reiterated.

It may be recalled that the Bharatiya Janata Party, time and again had criticised the then Congress government for allowing the land acquisition process for the Mopa international airport to lapse. In 2004, the state government had identified 10 million sq metres land at the Mopa plateau for construction of an airport, in addition to the Dabolim international airport located in South Goa, after Mopa international airport was cleared by the central government.

 

[GF1011]

Tenders for Mopa airport by September

MSN news
http://news.in.msn.com/business/article.aspx?cp-documentid=6049242

Panaji, April 23 (IANS) Global tenders for Goa's second international airport will be floated within six months, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar said Monday.
Speaking to reporters after chairing a Mopa airport steering committee meeting at the state secretariat, Parrikar said that the airport, located at the Mopa plateau in north Goa, 50 km from here, would be operational by 2015.
"The entire project will cost Rs.2,500 crore. We will issue tenders by September. The state government will have to acquire land for the project and hand it over to the winning bidder, to run it on BOOT (Build, Own Operate, Transfer) basis," Parrikar said, adding that the operating tenure would be 30 years.
Goa already has one international airport at Dabolim, 50 km from here, which is operated and maintained by the Indian Navy.
©Indo-Asian News Service

 

[IU]

More details from a couple of articles:

Mopa airport master plan gets in-principle approval

PANAJI: The state government on Monday gave its in-principle approval to the master plan of the proposed international airport at Mopa and will give the final approval after studying the plan within 10 to 12 days, chief minister Manohar Parrikar said on Monday.

Parrikar said that almost 75% to 80% land acquisition for Mopa airport is complete and that only a small component of the land is involved in litigation.

Asked about the costs, the chief minister said that as per the projection, the cost is 3,800 crore. "The first phase projection is about 2,500 crore to 3,000 crore. That means to make it operational, 2,500 crore would be the cost," Parrikar said.

MOPA TAKES WINGS

Parrikar said 80 per cent of land for the project has been acquired and remaining would be acquired in the next few days.

The estimated cost of the project is Rs 4000 crore and it will be completed in four phases.

Financial consultant for Mopa in 14 days

PANAJI: The state government is likely to appoint a financial consultant for the upcoming Greenfield International Airport at Mopa within a fortnight. The consultant will be chosen from among five companies.

PPP cell director Anand Sherkane said that five companies applied to their tender notice issued. "We received applications from KPMG, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu India Private Limited, PricewaterhouseCoopers, John Lang LaSalle and Ernst and Young," said Sherkane.

 

[IU]

snippet in a recent article:

The Goa government has also finalised a master plan for the airport and Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar had recently said the process of land acquisition was 75-80 per cent complete. An official from the Goa government said the government hoped to finalise bids by the end of 2012-13 and the project would be completed in three years from then.

..and some tidbits from a Press Release by the MoCA:

The Government has approved construction of a new airport of international standards at Mopa in Goa. The State government has appointed a Technical Cooperation Bureau of ICAO, Montreal, Canada, as consultant for implement the airport project for conducting Technical Economic Feasibility study.

 

[meetmus2fa]

Goa govt to invite global bids for Mopa airport in Sept

Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar has said all concerns for the greenfield airport in Goa had been addressed, and global tenders for the project would be invited in September.

After sweeping to power earlier this year, Parrikar has pushed for the airport in Mopa, north Goa. Though the project had secured the Centre’s in-principle approval in March 2000, it has been stuck ever since, owing to land acquisition woes and litigation. Politicians from south Goa have also protested against the project, saying it would considerably increase travel time to the new airport from south Goa.

“Whenever we set about projects, people always have differing views. There are difficulties. We will overcome these. There are no hurdles in the way. We will complete 95 per cent of the land acquisition by July, and plan to issue global tenders in September,” Parrikar told Business Standard.

Affected villagers, however, are unhappy with the government’s acquisition and rehabilitation plans.

“The government is not even offering market rates,” claims Siddarth Karapurkar of the Goan Farmers Collective.

The airport at Dabolim serves as a naval base and, despite its upgrade and a new terminal at a cost of Rs 500 crore, it can handle only 4.5 million passengers. The state government estimates the Mopa airport, on completion of all its phases, can handle 30 million passengers by 2045.

Concern has also been raised on the viability of the second airport, as the Dabolim airport would also remain functional. Critics say an International Civil Aviation study, too, expressed similar fears. Parrikar, however defends the decision. “Dabolim Airport would be saturated in three-four years. It has restrictions and does not allow flying during certain hours. Traffic is also growing. In my opinion, airport developers would queue for the project,” he said, adding, “The airport would be developed through private participation. The Goa government’s contribution would be land. A financial consultant has been appointed to prepare bid conditions and the report would be available by July-August.”

Source :- http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/goa-govt-to-invite-global-bids-for-mopa-airport-in-sept/478298/

 

[GF1011]

Tender for Mopa international airport in Goa likely by October: Manohar Parrikar

PTI Jul 8, 2012, 12.34PM IST

MUMBAI: Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar has said a new international airport at Mopa in the state will be ready in the next three years and the government will invite global bids to construct the facility by October. "The Mopa airport may come up in three years. We may also float a global tender probably around September-October," he said during an interaction with industrialists, organised by industry body CII, over the weekend.

The BJP Chief Minister, who took over the reins earlier this year, was earlier quoted as saying that the investment required for the new airport will be around Rs 3,800 crore, with phase-I requiring Rs 2,500 crore.
Parrikar stressed that aviation is a key focus area for the tourism-driven state economy. "I want to develop Goa as a hub for both cargo as well as passenger terminal," he said. He said that there are limitations with the present air infrastructure at Dabolim airport, where joint usage in coordination with the defence establishment creates problems for the civilian use. Parrikar said the proposed Mopa airport, for which up to 90 percent of land acquisition is complete, will increase passenger carrying capacity by up to six times from the existing facilities at Dabolim.
Addressing an audience consisting of industrialists from diverse sectors like realty, power, corporate finance and hospitality among others, he said his government will be interested in teaming up with private players if proposals come along in the aviation sector and setting up cargo facilities.

http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2012-07-08/news/32588700_1_mopa-manohar-parrikar-new-airport

 

[GF1011]

Mopa delayed beyond 2017

Excerpts from the article.

The state government's hopes of throwing open the Mopa Greenfield airport by late 2016 or early 2017, may not happen as no work can start on the project unless the environment impact assessment (EIA) is completed.

Sources said any agency will require at least a year to conduct a "thorough environment impact study" as it needs to be an all-season study, as per Union ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) guidelines.

After the report is submitted, a public hearing will have to be conducted, the source added. A work order could be issued around June 2014 at the earliest.

The state government has already written to companies/agencies empanelled by MoEF for conducting EIAs.

Currently, the government is preparing to invite a request for quotation (RFQ) from companies interested in developing the airport.

RFQ would be reviewed by the qualification review committee after which the companies or consortia would be shortlisted and a request for a proposal invited.

Chief minister Manohar Parrikar who has put the 3,000 crore project on the fast track, had stated in March that RFQ would be issued in April.

Anand Sherkhane who heads the public private participation (PPP) cell said the airport would be completed within three years of awarding the work contract.

This comes at a time when the anti-Mopa agitation is picking up steam. A massive public meeting on Wednesday unanimously resovled to say no to the Mopa airport. It was attended by two ministers and two ruling coalition MLAs.

http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-05-17/goa/39335455_1_mopa-airport-manohar-parrikar-moef

 

[IU]

^

That should have been completed before the project initiation. And with that, the title of the thread has been changed to 'Proposed'.

Meanwhile, the govt. continues to peddle that the RFQ will be floated 'soon':

Government to float Mopa RFQ soon

PANAJI: With almost 100% of the land for the proposed Mopa international airport already acquired, the government is now set to float the request for qualification (RFQ) for the proposed airport.

Official sources said that the draft RFQ is ready and that the government will float it soon. Although no official time frame has been specified, sources hinted that the process should be completed in about a month.

Once the qualified bidders are identified, the government will float the request for proposal (RFP). Again, time frames are not fixed. Sources said that the project is huge and since the government is not spending its own money, the private company that undertakes the project will need time to assess the project and consider its viability. The RFP will provide details on developing and operating the airport and also includes the revenue model, sources said. This second stage is expected to take about 45 days.

While the completed project will give Goa a "good functional airport," there will be enough scope for upgradation and expansion. The Greenfield airport will throw up huge employment opportunities.

 

[GF1011]

Stay united on Dabolim airport issue, says Goa Minister

Minister for Environment Alina Saldanha, on Sunday asked the people to stay united on the demand to get the Navy shifted from Dabolim airport in south Goa to Karwar, where the Naval base is located.

"Once this goal is achieved, Dabolim airport will be for Goans(civilian use) only and there will not be a need for an alternate airport," she said. Representatives from the BJP and AAP participated in the public debate on "Future of Dabolim Airport".

The controversy over whether Goa needed a new airport proposed to come up at Mopa in Pernem in north Goa or should it continue with expanded Dabolim airport with more civilian use of the airport, presently under Naval jurisdiction, is once again getting revived as parliamentary elections are round the corner.

She said that the Daboilm airport had been taken over in 1961 as war booty during the liberation of Goa by the Indian Army. Subsequently, in 1962, after the Chinese aggression, the Navy continued to hold on to the Dabolim airport on the basis of the Defence of India Act 1962. The act being temporary in nature expired in 1968 and, therefore, the Dabolim airport should have been returned by the Navy to civilian authority.

Full Report Here

 

[carzzz12]

Goa International Airport- New terminal at Daoblim Airport

Goa, India

Gensler is designing this new 11-gate, 700,000-square-foot terminal and adjoining runway expected to process nine million passengers annually—on the tightly constrained site of a former military facility bound by a highway. Monumental curving columns support a sweeping roof form that lends the terminal an organic quality. A canopy overhanging the curb and two lanes of roadway allows natural light to filter into the building through large louvers. A three-level airside corridor provides vertical circulation with glimpses of passenger traffic from numerous vantage points, while accommodating flexible aircraft parking and segregating inbound and outbound passengers in compliance with Indian policy.

Source: http://www.gensler.com/projects/goa-international-airport?o=37

 

[carzzz12]

There are some pretty awesome pics as well of the "New Terminal" Render in the link. I am unable to upload the pics. If someone can. please do.

 

[divinesoul_01]

That's actually the new terminal at Dabolim which is already operational, not the proposed Mopa airport.

Render from Gensler: http://static2.gensler.com/uploads/...l-airport_01_1024x576_1396478231_1024x576.jpg

Under construction photo: http://www.thegoan.net/uploads/news/big_2369_bizplus-lead.jpg

Goa International Airport

Goa, India

Gensler is designing this new 11-gate, 700,000-square-foot terminal and adjoining runway expected to process nine million passengers annually—on the tightly constrained site of a former military facility bound by a highway. Monumental curving columns support a sweeping roof form that lends the terminal an organic quality. A canopy overhanging the curb and two lanes of roadway allows natural light to filter into the building through large louvers. A three-level airside corridor provides vertical circulation with glimpses of passenger traffic from numerous vantage points, while accommodating flexible aircraft parking and segregating inbound and outbound passengers in compliance with Indian policy.

Source: http://www.gensler.com/projects/goa-international-airport?o=37