Puducherry is seeking expansion of the existing airport and may seek acquisition of land from neighbouring Tamil Nadu, civil aviation ministry sources have indicated. The chief minister of Puducherry met civil aviation secretary Madhavan Nambiar on Wednesday. Puducherry has sought Central financial assistance for the land acquisition, sources said.
Meanwhile, the civil aviation ministry has approved a proposal of the Goa government for keeping the current Dabolim airport (in South Goa) open even after the construction of the Mopa airport (in North Goa) is completed.
Ministry sources said that a study conducted earlier by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) that had concluded that there was enough air-traffic for both airports. Sources said authorities in Goa feared that tourism would be hit in Goa if the Dabolim airport was to shut down since most of the large hotels and resorts are in south Goa.
Meanwhile, the Airports Authority of India is also preparing for inauguration of the Mysore airport on May 15.
The AAI has constructed the airport.