PANJIM: Since the initiative to launch the seaplane service has been expedited, officials of Director General of Shipping will soon be arriving in Goa to conduct a survey to identify a suitable water space for developing the water aerodrome for use by seaplanes and amphibious aircrafts.
Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC) Chairman Nilesh Cabral said the inspection, scheduled on February 16, is essentially to select a suitable open water area which would be developed to land seaplanes. “We will have to check which river is suitable for the project,” he said speaking to Herald.
The company identified several places to fly the seaplane such as from Vasco to Dona Paula, Vasco to Coco beach in Nerul, Miramar and Siolim river. Tourism officials had said the eight seater seaplane will pick up passengers at Dabolim airport and fly them to Coco beach in just seven minutes at a cost of Rs 1,800 to Rs 2,000. It will land in the water close to a floating jetty onto which the passengers will alight while smaller boats will ferry the passengers to the shore.
The concerned authorities of Goa government had granted licences to a Delhi-based company for the seaplane venture last year, while clearance from the Union civil aviation ministry was awaited.
Meanwhile, Goa-based Amphibious Designs India Pvt Ltd along with the country’s leading bus builders ACGL Pvt Ltd has approved manufacturing six amphibious vehicles fitted with US technology, which are expected to be delivered to GTDC by May as it is manufacturing the crafts phase wise.
