Panaji, May 28 (PTI): The Manohar International Airport in Goa is handling 30 per cent of the state’s air traffic within five months of commencement of its operations, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has said. The airport, located at Mopa in North Goa, is now connected to 21 domestic destinations across India with direct flights, Sawant said addressing the NITI Aayog meeting in New Delhi on Saturday.
“Four more destinations will be connected by the end of this month. With this, our new airport is handling 30 per cent of total air traffic of Goa within five months of its inception,” the chief minister said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the first phase of the new airport on December 11, 2022.
The first passenger flight arrived at the Manohar International Airport in Goa on January 5, 2023.
Sawant said the new airport will help Goa in attracting “more tourists and more investments.”
This is the second airport in Goa and the first civilian and greenfield facility in the coastal state, he said.
The other South Goa-based Dabolim airport is operated as a civil enclave in the Indian Navy’s air station INS Hansa.
Sawant said the Manohar International Airport has come at the right time, given the importance of Goa as a prime tourist destination.
“At present, phase-1 of this airport is operational with an annual passenger handling capacity of 4.4 million,” he added.
