Soft opening of extended Dabolim airport preponed

PANAJI: The soft opening of the extended Goa airport would be held on December 3 this year while it is likely to be fully functional on December 13, a senior Airport Authority of India ( AAI) official said today.

Goa Airport Director M Suresh told PTI that the Civil Aviation ministry has cleared the proposal for soft opening of the expanded Dabolim Airport, also known as Goa airport, on December 3.

"The date of December 13 has been fixed for the full fledged opening. But this is a probable date as it will depend upon the preparedness of all the agencies," he said.

Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on November 7 had announced that the soft opening is planned on December 19, subject to the approval of the Civil Aviation ministry. The full fledged operation was targeted to be on January 26, 2014.

But the Civil Aviation ministry has now preponed the dates.

The expanded airport is a Rs 400 crore property which will have the capacity to accommodate 11 aircraft at a time with additions like five aerobridges and six converter belts.