Team Herald
PANJIM: The wait for seaplane rides has got longer as its commercial launch has been further delayed pending permission from the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). The central team is expected to visit Goa by Friday to prepare and submit a report for a final go-ahead.
Last week Tourism Minister Dilip Parulekar had said the project would commence on January 6.
In its first phase, the eight-seater seaplane will pick up passengers at Dabolim airport and fly them to their destination landing on water close to a floating jetty onto which the passengers will alight, and smaller boats will ferry them to shore.
In the second phase, there are plans to fly passengers in three states including Goa, and some parts of Maharashtra and Karnataka.
The seaplane’s successful trial run was held from Dabolim airport to Mandovi River in May last year.
