Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Mopa International Airport on Sunday in a massive boost the air connectivity in the country. About 35 km from Panaji, the new international airport will soon become functional as IndiGo and GoFirst have already announced plans to launch 168 and 42 flights, respectively, for the airport next months. Indigo said it will be the airline's largest-ever new station launch and will immediately connect New Goa International Airport to eight cities across India. The foundation stone of the airport was laid by PM Modi in November 2016.
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Chief minister Pramod Sawant announced that the airport will be named after former Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar.
"In the last eight years, whenever I got the opportunity to come amid you, I always said that I will return your love with full interest. This airport is an attempt to return the love that I received from you. I am so happy that the airport is named after Goa ke ladle, late Manohar Parrikar," PM Modi said. IndiGo to have its biggest fleet from new Goa international airport. Details here
Taking a swipe at the Congress government, PM Modi said in the previous government money was spent on infrastructure not required at all. "This was a long-standing demand of the people of Goa that the state needs another airport. The planning was done during Atalji's (Atal Bihari Vajpayee) government. But there was no progress after that. In 2016, we laid the foundation stone and now after the challenge of the Covid pandemic, the airport is ready," PM Modi said.
{{/usCountry}}Taking a swipe at the Congress government, PM Modi said in the previous government money was spent on infrastructure not required at all. "This was a long-standing demand of the people of Goa that the state needs another airport. The planning was done during Atalji's (Atal Bihari Vajpayee) government. But there was no progress after that. In 2016, we laid the foundation stone and now after the challenge of the Covid pandemic, the airport is ready," PM Modi said.
{{/usCountry}}The previous government did not think of the middle-class people and did not invest much in the development of airports. "Travelling on an airplane was a luxury in the previous government," PM Modi said adding that until 2014, there were only 70 airports in the country -- mostly in large cities. In the last eight years, 72 airports were developed, PM Modi added.
"Under PM Modi's leadership, we are now inaugurating several airports in a year whereas during the regime of the previous government, one or half projects used to get completed in a year," Union civil aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said. "This proves the strength of the double-engine government," the minister said adding that this is also the first time that one city is getting two airports.