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TTAG: Need an expressway from Mopa to Canacona
The Travel and Tourism Association of Goa (TTAG) has got a boost in its attempt to keep the Dabolim airport functional for commercial operations after defence minister Manohar Parrikar said that the airport will remain open even after operations commence at Mopa.
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Earlier, the tourism industry based in South Goa had issued a letter on Saturday addressed to the Prime Minister, asking him to scrap the greenfield international airport at Mopa.
“The proposed airport is economically unviable and financially unsound and thus lead to the destruction of the tourism industry in Goa,” the letter, signed by major hotel groups, restaurants and shop owners said.
All the major luxury hotels are based in South Goa, close to the Dabolim airport. The proposed airport at Mopa, whose foundation stone was laid by Prime Minister on Sunday is slated to commence operations from 2019 onwards.
The hotel lobby has raised fear of losing business due to the shift and has been trying hard through the TTAG to keep their business safe.
Affirming the intentions of the hotel lobby, president of TTAG, Savio Messias said that they have been in discussion with the government and have been told that the decision to keep Dabolim airport functional depends on commercial viability.
“If the government does decide to close operations at Dabolim, we have requested an expressway to be built, connecting Mopa to Canacona. We have been told there is a proposal to connect Mopa with a railway line going from Pernem to Canacona,” he said. Tramaine Brock Jersey
