First test flight lands at Mopa

Monday saw the first test flight landing at the soon-to-be-functional Mopa Greenfield airport. An Air Indigo flight landed in the morning under clear skies.

It is now likely that the opening date of the airport, the work of which is in the final stages, will be announced soon.

Mopa will connect North Goa to the world. The airport was supposed to be inaugurated on August 15, and later the date was shifted to September. But, now, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has announced a new deadline of October for its opening.

He had also announced that 80 per cent of the workforce required for this airport will be from Goa. Some employees have been trained to handle airport security and other tasks.

Although the CM has announced that priority will be given to family members whose lands have been acquired for the airport, there has been criticism from locals that more candidates from other constituencies have been given a chance.

It is also to be seen what name the government will choose for the airport. There is already a demand being made to name the project after Goa's first Chief Minister late Bhausaheb Bandodkar.