Mopa Airport | Manohar International Airport Goa
Mopa Airport | Manohar International Airport Goa
Mopa Airport or Manohar International Airport Goa was inaugurated on 11 December 2022 by our Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The foundation stone was laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in November 2016.
Manohar Parrikar was the former Defence Minister and the Chief Minister of Goa.
It lies in the North Goa district in the state of Goa. The airport is constructed at a cost of $380 Million (Rs.3,000 Crore) and it will start operating on 5th January 2023.
The completed phase is the first phase of the airport. The airport was officially scheduled to be completed by the financial year 2019-2020 but was delayed due to a court order that delayed work on site.
Besides, the old airport, the Dabolim airport will also run but with limited flights.
Mopa Airport Goa
PM Modi quoted Manohar Parrikar International Airport as 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,” unquote.
Mopa Airport will be the second airport after the existing Dabolim Airport which will also operate simultaneously.
Moreover, the state-of-the-art airport in Mopa will improve connectivity as well as boost tourism in Goa significantly.
It is expected the airport will benefit the people of Maharashtra more than the people of Goa as the distance covered is longer than the Dabolim airport.
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Distances
| Sr. No. | Place | Distance | Drive Time |
| 1 | Panaji | 33.40km | 53.00 min |
| 2 | Margaon | 67.00 km | 105.00 min |
| 3 | Vasco | 58.80 km | 81.00 min |
| 4 | Mapusa | 20.30 km | 36.00 min |
| 5 | Ponda | 58.10 km | 84.00 min |
| 6 | Bambolim | 43.80km | 61.00 min |
| 7 | Dona Paula | 39.40 km | 64.00 min |
| 8 | Dabolim | 55.60 km | 77.00 min |
| 9 | Verna | 52.80 km | 75.00 min |
| 10 | Kundaim | 48.20 km | 74.00 min |
| 11 | Old Goa | 41.20 km | 61.00 min |
| 12 | Banastari | 46.70 km | 70.00 min |
| 13 | Murmagoa | 61.50 km | 87.00 min |
| 14 | Calangute | 29.70 km | 48.00 min |
| 15 | Colva | 63.40 km | 93.00 min |
| 16 | Sawantwadi | 34.40 km | 52.00 min |
| 17 | Canacona | 107.00 km | 166.00 min |
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Mopa Airport Update
The old airport (Dabolim airport) has the capacity to handle 8.5 million passengers per year whereas, in actuality, the Mopa airport will have the capacity to handle approximately 44 million passengers a year. In the first phase and then it will increase up to one million passengers a year after the entire project work is completed.
Besides, it has a facility for cargo transportation, which the old airport does not have.
Since North Goa is more popular with respect to tourism the airport is expected to promote the local economy and boost tourism.
Address
Mopa airport is a Greenfield airport at Mopa in Pernem taluka, North Goa district in the state of Goa, India.
Following is the address:
PVJ9+G7C, Casarvane VP, Goa 403512
Mopa Airport Design
The airport will feature a single runway which will be 3,750m long and 60m-wide. The runway will have two rapid exit ways interconnected with taxiways. The airport is being constructed in four phases, with the first phase designed to accommodate approximately 4.4 million passengers a year. Its interiors will resemble the local architecture and Goan craft.
The company said 3-D monolithic precast technology has been used for the construction of an aviation skill development centre and a police station.
“5G compatible IT infrastructure has been created for better connectivity”. Besides, there is an option for self-baggage drop for faster check-in.
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Mopa Airport Construction
The Central Government had given its in-principle approval for a second airport in the state of Goa as early as March 2000. However, the project was stuck for 14 years due to land acquisition issues and local litigation.
When Will Mopa Airport Open
The Manohar International Airport Goa was inaugurated on 11 December 2022 by our Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The airport will be open for all international and local flights with effective from January 2023.
Will Goa Have 2 Airports?
Goa has become the first smallest state to have two international airports in India.
With the opening of the Mopa Greenfield airport on 11 December 2022, each of the two districts in Goa now have international airports. Mopa is 50 kilometres away from the Dabolim facility in south Goa (Vasco Da Gama).
Goa’s current airport at Dabolim Vasco is a civil enclave that is operated by the Airports Authority of India (AAI).
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