Soft opening of extended Dabolim airport on December 19

The much-awaited soft opening of the extended Dabolim airport here would be done on December 19, even though it would be fully functional in January next year, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar said here today.
Parrikar chaired the high-level meeting of Airport Authority of India and state government officials, which reviewed the preparedness of Rs 400 crore extended Dabolim airport.
The soft opening of the extended facility including terminal building would be done on December 19, Goa's Liberation Day, he said.
After the initial trial launch, the extended airport would be fully functional on January 26, 2014.
He said that the opening would be done provided Union Ministry of Civil Aviation and AAI clears the same.

The new facility is six times that of the current one, Parrikar said, adding that it will be able to accommodate 11 aircrafts at a time with latest additions like five aero bridges and six converter belts.
Two converter belts each would be dedicated to the domestic and international flights while two would kept in addition.
Parrikar said that with the new facility the passenger handling capacity would be increased from four million to five to six million tourists annually.