Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday inaugurated the first phase of the international airport at Mopa in Goa, where he also addressed the valedictory function of the World Ayurveda Congress.
Speaking at the event PM Modi said, "We took the initiative to take air travel to the smallest cities of the country. We have expanded the airport network in the country and 72 airports have been built in the last 8 years".
"I am happy that this International Airport in Mopa, Goa has been named after Late Manohar Parrikar Ji. The approach towards creating infrastructure has changed, with this government. The airport launched today is a great example of this," he added further.
Highlighting the significance of the airport constructed, the Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said, "Two airports have been established in a city for the first time in the country. Under the previous administration, not a single airport was built in a single year. The development will occur wherever there is a dual-engine government, news agency ANI quoted him as saying.
PM Modi also virtually launched a slew of other initiatives, including the All India Institute of Ayurveda in Dhargal, North Goa, the National Institute of Unani Medicine in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, and the National Institute of Homeopathy in Narela, Delhi.
The prime minister laid the foundation for Mopa International Airport in November 2016. This will be Goa's second airport, with the first located in Dabolim. The Mopa airport has significant advantages over the Dabolim airport, as per a report by the news agency PTI.
"The airport was developed on the theme of sustainable infrastructure and has a solar power plant, green buildings, LED lights on the runway, rainwater harvesting, state of the art sewage treatment plant with recycling capabilities, among other such facilities, at a cost of around â12,870 crores. It has incorporated some of the best-in-class technology, such as 3-D Monolithic Precast structures, StabilRoad, Robomatic Hollow precast walls, and 5G compatible IT infrastructure," the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said in a statement.
The airport includes a runway capable of handling the world's largest aircraft, 14 parking bays with night parking facilities for aircraft, self-baggage drop facilities, state-of-the-art and independent air navigation equipment, and more.
"Initially, phase I of the Airport will serve approximately 4.4 million passengers per annum (MPPA), with a saturation capacity of 33 MPPA. The airport will help the state's socioeconomic growth and meet the needs of the tourism industry "According to the statement.
“The airport has extensively used Azulejos tiles, which are native to Goa. The food court likewise captures the charm of a typical Goan cuisine. It will also include a curated flea market where local artisans and craftspeople will be encouraged to display and sell their items," PMO stated.
"It has the potential to be an important logistical centre, connecting many local and international destinations." The airport will also have multi-modal connectivity, according to plans," it added.