Kerala is building its water transport infrastructure to squeeze the most out of tourism, its fastest-growing revenue stream. Besides working on a hovercraft traffic network for its backwaters in Kollam, Alappuzha, Kottayam and Kochi — the state’s tourism backbone — it is also looking at seaplane connectivity for its main tourist destinations. The state is setting up a Rs 300-crore seaplane company under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model. The proposed company would set up terminals alongside water bodies. Meanwhile, the hovercraft company plan is in the draft Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) stage, with Rs 10 lakh earmarked for the project, according to a report by M Sarita Varma in The Financial Express.
“There is no need for runways and land acquisition, and that's the chief attraction of the seaplane project proposal,” AP Anil Kumar, Tourism Minister, Government of Kerala, said. “The seaplanes would need roughly 100 metres’ of space in water bodies to take off and land, depending on the weight and passenger capacity,” Kumar added.
The seaplane service is expected to connect different backwater and lake tourist spots in Kerala. “We will not buy aircraft but will encourage private operators to introduce seaplanes on a trial basis,” said an official of Infrastructure Kerala (Inkel), a PPP company set up to improve infrastructure in the state.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) recently issued guidelines for seaplanes and eligibility criteria for seaplane pilots. The DGCA guidelines cover passenger safety norms, emergency evacuation procedures and right of way and navigation on waterbeds. In addition, pilots would have to undergo specialised training to operate seaplanes. “The seaplanes would be guided by air traffic controllers and DGCA norms, while the vehicles would be operated by the private sector,” stated a recent Inkel feasibility study.
The Kerala Tourism Development Corporation is in touch with Bangalore-based aerospace firms that are evaluating the scope of operating seaplanes in Kerala. “A Kerala government firm has booked six seaplanes made in our plant,” said a Taneja Aerospace and Aviation official.
“We expect to develop Kochi into the nerve centre of a hovercraft network that connects major tourist locations like Kumarakom, Varkala, Kovalam and Kozhikode. It would be a more scenic and faster travel option,” said B Bhadra, Deputy Mayor, Kochi. This would mean modernisation of boat jetties and more high-speed boats for local passengers and tourist services. Kerala Tourism is also setting up a Rs15-crore Tourism Board to anchor all these linkages.
http://www.travelbizmonitor.com/kerala-to-set-up-hovercraft-seaplane-networks-to-boost-backwater-tourism-16103
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