First seaplane of Kerala takes off from Kochi, lands in Idukki

Kochi | The first seaplane of the Kerala state, took off from the backwaters here and landed in Mattupetty dam in the hill district of Idukki on Monday.

Tourism and Public Works Minister P A Mohamed Riyas flagged off the amphibious aircraft from the Bolgatty Palace Waterdrom in the port city. The Minister also took a short trip on the 17-seater aircraft, along with Industries Minister P Rajeev, General Education Minister V Sivankutty and senior government officials.

Riyas said that with the addition of seaplane services, it will be possible to reach remote areas of the state in less time and at a lower cost.

Kerala plans excellent transport facilities, connecting four international airports, state-of-the-art national highways, hill highways, and upcoming high-speed rail corridors, he said.

"Seamless connectivity for tourists arriving at our four international airports to reach hinterland destinations is something everyone wants," Riyas said. The minister further said that the objective of the government is to popularise the seaplane services. "We are trying to make this affordable and accessible to everyone. A detailed plan on this is getting ready," Riyas added.

Presiding over the function, Rajeev said Kerala was moving forward with rapid industrial development and the tourism sector significantly contributes to it. "Kerala is the state with the largest number of five-star hotels in India, and four world-class hotel chain projects will start soon in Kochi," the Industries Minister said.

Mayor M Anilkumar, Aviation Secretary Biju Prabhakar, Tourism Secretary K Biju, Additional Tourism Director P Vishnuraj and Kerala Travel Mart Society officials were also present in the function.

A Switzerland-based private company and SpiceJet operate the De Havilland Canada, which arrived here after trial services in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. SpiceJet operates the services, while Canadian aircraft manufacturer De Havilland offers engineering expertise and assists with technical and logistical challenges, according to an official statement.

The seaplane service is provided under the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA)'s Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS)-UDAN. Kerala targets increasing connectivity among its airports, hill stations, and backwaters by offering subsidised fares, it said.

These are small planes with 9, 15, 17, 20 and 30 seats. Passengers board the aircraft from waterdromes that float on water. Canadian pilots Daniel Montgomery and Rodger Brindger operated the flight that reached Kochi International Airport at 11 a.m.

Top officials from Cochin Port Trust, the Indian Navy, and De Havilland Canada visited the locations and inspected logistical challenges, the statement said adding that feasibility and hydrographic surveys were also completed before the launch, to offer seamless services.

In addition to Bolgatty and Mattupetti, Kovalam, Ashtamudi, Punnamada, Kumarakom, Vembanad, Malampuzha, and Bekal are being considered for seaplane connectivity, the statement said.