Goa airport is being used beyond its prescribed capacity and there is an urgent need for its expansion, an official has said. The airport, located in the port town of Vasco, is managed by Indian Navy which has its airbase there from where it holds regular trainings.

Existing facilities at the airport have reached their saturation point. The terminal building, which can accommodate 700 passengers at a time, is now serving 1,500 to 2,000 travellers, Airport Director Paul Manickam said.

In a presentation during a discussion organised by Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industries (GCCI) here on Friday, he said in the absence of another airport, the existing one needs expansion to accommodate the growing number of air passengers visiting the tourist state. “All the six parking bays are full most of the time,” the Airports Authority of India (AAI) official said.

The Centre has sanctioned Rs 500-crore expansion plan for the airport but it was not taking off because of non-availability of land which is in Navy’s possession.

During 2007-08, 25.80 lakh passengers used the airport arriving in 23,742 flights. In addition, 763 international chartered flights brought in around two lakh tourists, he said, adding a new terminal building is urgently required.

The airport was handed over to the Navy after Goa was liberated from the Portuguese rule. Later, civilian flights were allowed from the airport, whose infrastructure is now under strain due to manifold rise in number of tourists arriving every year in the coastal state.

Courtesy: TOM