SC clears decks for new airport at Goa's Mopa, lifts suspension on environmental clearance

The Supreme Court on Thursday cleared the decks for construction of an international airport at Mopa in Goa by lifting the suspension on environmental clearance (EC) granted for the project, which would be spread over 2,131 acres.

The top court in March last year had suspended the EC granted for the greenfield airport and directed the Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) to revisit the decision in light of its impact on the ecology there.

The need for a new airport was buttressed as the passenger traffic at Goa was expected to rise in the upcoming financial years -- 12 million passengers by 2021 to 17.9 million by 2025 -- and the existing airport at Dabolim is a defence establishment which is closed to area traffic between 8.30 am and 1.30 pm daily.

Though Goa is one of the most sought after international tourist destinations in India, international charter flights are not granted parking facilities at night at Dabolim airport due to capacity constraints.

While lifting the suspension on the EC, a bench of justices D Y Chandrachud and Hemant Gupta noted the assurance tendered on behalf of concessionaire GMR Goa International Airport Limited that it would adopt a "zero carbon programme" both in the construction and operational phases of the airport.

"We accept the undertaking of the concessionaire and issue a direction for compliance," the bench said, adding, "The suspension on the EC shall accordingly stand lifted."
"Due to capacity constraints, international charter flights are not granted parking facilities at night at Dabolim," he had said, adding, "The proposed greenfield airport will have a capacity to handle 4.4 million passengers in PhaseI, 13 million passengers in PhaseII and 30 million passengers in PhaseIII annually."