Gujarat: Seaplane likely to take to the skies by October

AHMEDABAD: If all works out well, India’s first ever seaplane service, between the Sabarmati riverfront in Ahmedabad and the Statue of Unity at Kevadia, will be operational by October. During a review meeting chaired by state chief secretary Anil Mukim in Gandhinagar on Saturday, in the presence of Union civil aviation secretary, Pradeep Kharola, it emerged that the project is on track and is expected to be operational by the end of October.The inaugural flight will likely happen on October 31, according to a release issued by the state government.
Kharola visited the proposed site of the waterdrome at the Sabarmati Riverfront on Saturday, along with Captain Ajay Chauhan, director, civil aviation, government of Gujarat. Two locations on the western bank of the Sabarmati Riverfront, near Vallabh Sadan and near Ambedkar Bridge, have been identified.
According to state government officials, the seaplane services will provide affordable air connectivity from the Sabarmati riverfront to the Statue of Unity. The project will be executed under an agreement between the state government, Union ministry of civil aviation and the Airports Authority of India (AAI).
The service will be operated by low-cost carrier, SpiceJet, with four flights a day. The ticket price will be around Rs 4,800 per person.
The waterdrome to successfully operate, a water level of at least 7 feet is a pre-requisite. So far, the water level at the Sabarmati riverfront was being monitored by the state irrigation department along with Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation. Once the waterdromes are built and operational, the AAI will also be monitoring the water level. Sources confirmed that the Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam Limited (SSNL) has agreed that the supply of Narmada water will be ensured to maintain the required depth for the waterdromes to operate.