The airport project will be completed in four phases, of which work on the first phase is expected to be completed by 2020. Construction of the second phase will commence only after 80% of the passenger traffic is handled. The MoU is part of the concession agreement signed between the state government and GGIAL on November 8, 2016.As per the concession agreement, GGIAL will have the right to operate the business for 40 years, extendable by another 20 years. PANAJI: GMR Goa International Airport Limited (GGIAL) is currently facing a loss of Rs 50 lakh per day due to delay in execution of the Mopa project, the concessionaire has stated in its affidavit before the Supreme Court.The Supreme Court’s suspension of the environmental clearance (EC) by the ministry of environment and forest (MoEF) for the international greenfield airport will also delay its scheduled commissioning in September 2020 and incur additional cost for the project.GGIAL has already spent Rs 230 crore on the construction of the airport’s first phase, while the Goa government has spent Rs 240 crore on land acquisition, rehabilitation, road widening, consultancy, and other related aspects.The indicative capital for phase 1 of the development is Rs 1,900 crore, while the cost of the entire project is likely to be Rs 3,000 crore.“As the construction of Mopa airport is stopped, the project will have an overrun in cost and time,” Goa government’s director of civil aviation Suresh Shanbhogue told TOI.A senior government officer said 14.1% of the project has been completed and manpower, comprising 1,500 persons, has been mobilised at the site together with plant and machinery.GGIAL has stated that it has tied up with a consortium of banks and the servicing of loans is linked to project milestones.As on January 18, the major work that was carried out at Mopa airport, site preparation and earth works including excavation and filling up of runways, taxiways, aprons and parking bays, passenger terminal building (PTB) foundations and column works, and excavation of the foundations for the air traffic control (ATC) building.GGIAL has submitted before the court that apart from the plantation of 10 trees for every single tree which has been felled, the forest department identified about 500 trees for transplantation, for which the process is being carried out.GGIAL and the Union ministry of civil aviation had on March 31, 2017, signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in Delhi for necessary support from the Centre to develop the international airport.
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