Goa Govt Orders GMR Group To Use 'Manohar International Airport' Name For Its New Facility

The GMR Goa International Airport Limited has been instructed to use 'Manohar International Airport' and stop writing 'New Goa' with immediate effect, said Goa's Civil Aviation Director.

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The Goa government has instructed the GMR Goa International Airport Limited (GGIAL) to strictly use the name of its new facility at Mopa as 'Manohar International Airport' without any prefix or suffix. The GGIAL is using 'New Goa' as prefix to the airport name everywhere, Goa's Civil Aviation Director Dr S Shanbhogue pointed out in a letter to the company on Monday. The airport, located at Mopa village in North Goa district, was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 11, 2022. Shanbhogue said the PM had announced the facility's name as 'Manohar International Airport'.

The airport was named after former defence minister and Goa chief minister late Manohar Parrikar in recognition of his contribution in building up modern Goa. "The name has been approved by the central cabinet, state cabinet and a resolution has also been passed in the state Assembly," Shanbhogue said. He told the airport management that they are required to use the same name without any prefix or suffix for all purposes, for any branding, social media platforms as well as announcements at the airports and on flights.

"It is reiterated that no prefix or suffix can be used with the name 'Manohar International Airport' and therefore the GGIAL should stop writing 'New Goa' with immediate effect. Further, you are required to take all necessary action to ensure that all the stake holders connected with the airport like airlines, sub-licensees, other airports only use the name as 'Manohar International Airport' for all purposes," Shanbhogue said in the letter.

The airport management should comply with these instructions within eight days without fail and any non-compliance will be viewed seriously, he said. The new facility is located in North Goa's Mopa village, 35 km from state capital Panaji. It is the second airport in Goa. The other South Goa-based Dabolim facility is operated as a civil enclave in the Indian Navy's air station INS Hansa.

The first phase of the Rs 2,870 crore Mopa airport project will cater to around 4.4 million passengers per annum (MPPA), which can be expanded to a saturation capacity of 33 MPPA, an official earlier said.

The new airport has been built 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 facilities, among other such facilities.