Panaji, Mar 24 (IANS): The first phase of Goa's new greenfield international airport at the Mopa plateau in North Goa, will be commissioned by August 2022, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said on Wednesday.

Sawant told the Goa Legislative Assembly in a written reply, that the project was delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

"Presently construction of runway, taxiway, passenger terminal building, ATC tower, administration building, compound wall, etc., is in progress. The physical progress achieved up to February 2021 is 23.55 per cent," Sawant said in his reply to a question by Independent MLA Rohan Khaunte tabled during the ongoing Budget Session of the state Assembly.

"The first phase of the airport is expected to be commissioned by August 2022. The project faced restraint by the courts and also Covid-19 impact leading to delay in implementation of the project," Sawant said.

The airport is being constructed via a joint venture between GMR Airports and the Goa government.

In its first phase the airport is expected to cater to 4.5 million passengers and at the end of fourth phase its passenger handling capacity is expected to be 13 million.