Government today approved the setting up of a greenfield international airport in Mopa area of Goa through private participation and decided not to close down commercial operations at the existing Dabolim airport.

The government also decided not to change the present provisions prohibiting a second airport from coming up within 150 kms of an existing one, thus allaying apprehensions among the locals about the possibility of the Dabolim airport being closed down once the new one started operations.

"There was a lot of discussion on the issue," Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni told reporters here after announcing the Union Cabinet's green signal to the proposal to set up the greenfield airport at Mopa.

"The new airport at Mopa will be constructed on a Build-Own-Operate-Transfer basis, for which, a private entity will be selected through a global tendering process," she said, adding the Cabinet decided to grant it the status of an international airport.

Soni said the Cabinet approved continuation of commercial operations at the existing Dabolim civilian airport "by reviewing its earlier decision to close it down once the commercial operations start from Mopa in Goa."

"Continuation of Dabolim airport at Goa will facilitate the state to meet the requirement of increased inflow of air traffic more efficiently as well as for balanced development of all parts of the state," the Minister said.

The announcement could put a lid on years of unrest among the locals. Way back in 2000, the Civil Aviation Ministry had proposed that Dabolim airport should be closed down once an airport starts operations in Mopa.

The closure of existing airports at Hyderabad and Bangalore after the greenfield airports started, had also seen similar protests.

With the government now reviewing its decision regarding closure of Dabolim and allowing Mopa airport to come up within the 150-km radius, Civil Aviation Ministry sources said it has decided to grant such approval to at least two more airports -- at Navi Mumbai and Kannur in Kerala.

The decision regarding Mopa airport could also pave the way for an airport in Jhevar at Greater Noida, which falls within the 150 km range of Delhi's IGI Airport.

The sources said there were several instances worldwide where two or even three airports existed within this range.

The cities include London, Paris and New York.

As per estimates, the investment in Mopa would be close to USD 400 million. A 33,000 square metre passenger terminal is envisaged at Mopa, which would have a Code F or super-jumbo compatible runway to enable the largest aircraft, Airbus A-380, to land.

Alongside, the Dabolim civil enclave is being expanded and upgraded simultaneously.