Panaji (PTI): The construction of new greenfield airport in Goa got an impetus on Friday with the state chief minister Digambar Kamat-led committee deciding to give go ahead for the controversial project.

The committee, on Friday afternoon, recommended to expedite the land acquisition process for the greenfield airport at Mopa in north Goa, bordering Goa-Maharashtra.

"It was recommended to proceed for the land acquisition proceedings for the airport and complete the project expediously," Goa's lone Rajya Sabha member Shantaram Naik, who is also a committee member, told reporters here.

Mopa airport, planned in the northermost border of Goa, had met stringent opposition by the South Goa politicians including then Member of Parliament and current state minister Churchill Alemao.

Anti-MOPA lobby feared that the new airport will benefit neighbouring Maharashtra more than Goa. The concerns were also raised that the Dabolim airport will be closed once Mopa gets operational.

The project today got go ahead from the committee constituted as per the recommendation of prime minister Dr Manmohan Singh.