Team Herald
PANJIM: After missing the deadline to launch seaplane and helicopter rides before the peak tourist season of 2015, the government is expected to start the two adventure-cum-commercial rides on January 6 and January 15 respectively. The State recorded 6.5 million tourists during the last calendar year, and it expected to cross 7.5 million this calendar year.
Speaking to a section of the media on Saturday, Tourism Minister Dilip Parulekar said they are ready with four amphibious vehicles to run in the inland waters and on land.
“The sea plane project will start on January 6. Last year, we had signed an agreement with Mumbai’s MEHAIR agency for operations from Dabolim airport to different rivers across the State. The plane will land in Mandovi and Chapora Rivers in its first phase,” he said.
The successful trial run for the seaplane was held on May 23, 2015, five months after the Goa government announced it would enter into a joint venture with the company. The eight-seater seaplane will pick up passengers at Dabolim airport and fly them to the destination. It will land in the water close to a floating jetty onto which the passengers will alight, and smaller boats will ferry them to the shore.
The tourism department will also launch private helicopter services connecting the airport to various helipads from mid-January. Semi government organization Pawan Hans Helicopter Limited was recently awarded the contract to fly the tourists from the airport to various helipads like Ela Farm in Old Goa, Aguada, Colva and Canacona.
Along with this, four amphibious buses will begin the ride in the water and land as this has received approval from the Union Shipping Ministry. This trial run was also held successfully on May 9 last year. Parulekar said they held discussions with Union Shipping minister Nitin Gadkari to expedite the approval process.
The delay in commencing commercial operations of the three projects was as it awaited the Centre’s green signal.
