PM Modi Inaugurates New Airport in Mopa, Goa: Here’s All You Need to Know

On Sunday, December 11, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Mopa International Airport in Goa. The foundation stone of the airport was laid by the Prime Minister in November 2016.

The newly-inaugurated Mopa International Airport in Goa has been named after former Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar.

The airport was built on the theme of sustainable infrastructure and includes a solar power plant, green buildings, LED lights on the runway, rainwater harvesting, a state-of-the-art sewage treatment plant with recycling facilities, and other such amenities.

Initially, phase I of the Airport will serve approximately 4.4 million passengers per annum (MPPA), with a saturation capacity of 33 MPPA.

“The state-of-the-art airport in Mopa will significantly improve connectivity as well as boost tourism in Goa. Manohar International Airport is proof of the changed government thinking and approach towards infrastructure in the country today. We took the initiative to take air travel to the smallest cities in the country,” said PM Modi

Also Read: IndiGo to Operate 12 Daily Flights from Eight Cities to Goa’s New Mopa Airport

Key Points about Goa’s Mopa International Airport

1. Mopa International Airport is located in the north of Goa, India.

2. The airport is being built to alleviate the congestion at Goa’s existing Dabolim Airport.

3. The airport will have a single runway and a terminal building with a capacity to handle up to 4.4 million passengers per year.

4. Dabolim airport can handle 85 lakh passengers per year, but it lacks cargo transportation capabilities, which the new airport will have.

5. The project has faced delays and protests from local residents and environmental groups.

6. Once operational, Mopa International Airport is expected to boost tourism and economic development in the region.

7. GMR Goa International Airport Limited, in a series of tweets, said the facility will boost the socio-economic development of the state.

8. According to the company, 3-D monolithic precast technology was used in the construction of an aviation skill development centre and a police station.

9. “5G compatible IT infrastructure has been created for improved connectivity,” it said, adding that self-baggage drop is available for faster check-in.

10. The new Mopa International Airport is located in northern Goa, about 35 kilometres from Panaji, the state capital.