AAI to invest Rs 400 cr in expansion of Goa's Dabolim airport

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) today said it is investing Rs 400 crore in expansion of the Dabolim International Airport in Goa, which includes extension of the existing passenger terminal building and construction of more parking bays, among others.

This along with the setting up of a new international airport at Mopa in north Goa at a projected cost of Rs 3,000 crore, is expected to give a major boost to the tourism potential in the state, AAI said in a release.

Dabolim International Airport, which is a civil enclave, handled over 7.5 million passengers last year and it will continue catering to the growing demand for travel and tourism even after the Mopa airport becomes functional, the release added.

"The AAI has already taken up action to invest around Rs 400 crore to improve passenger facilities and carry out various expansion works at its existing Dabolim International Airport," it said.

The work includes extension of the terminal building, creation of parking bays and construction of parallel taxiway, which will ease traffic and help the airport operator handle more passenger and aircraft movements.

Also, the airport will get in-line x-ray baggage system apart from a host of self-service kiosks and additional common user terminal equipment (CUTE) for enhancing the capacity and passenger throughput.

Goa airport has also become the 12th airport to have an airport operations control center (AOCC), which will improve overall efficiency of the aerodrome operations by providing real-time information of flights, according to the release.

Being constructed by GMR Goa International Airport Limited, a special purpose vehicle formed by GMR Airports Limited, the first phase of the airport is expected to be completed by 2020.