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MEHAIR, India’s first seaplane services provider, is in talks with the Andhra Pradesh Government for launching of seaplane services off Visakhapatnam coast.
The company, which launched India’s first mainland seaplane services from Mumbai to Pawna Dam and Mula Dam last year, has submitted a project report to the State Government, which is currently examining it.
It has submitted similar proposals, though on a smaller scale, to the Telangana Government to launch a service for tourists from Hussain Sagar to Nagarjunasagar dam.
“Typically, each of these projects would cost about Rs 17 crore, including the cost of a single-engine, nine-seater seaplane at between Rs 12 and Rs 15 crore. The support infrastructure includes floating jetties and a boat to ferry passengers to the seaplane,” Siddharth Verma, co-founder and director of the company, told Business Line.
MEHAIR, which has operated in the Andaman and Nicobar islands for the last over three years, connecting various islands there, operates two Caravan Amphibian seaplanes.
After Andaman and Maharashtra, the company is set to enter Goa. “We are almost ready for the Goa launch, which would happen next month,” he said.
These projects are part of its pan-India expansion, wherever suitable water bodies like lakes, rivers, beaches, backwaters and dam are located.
Gujarat MRO:
As an extension of its business, the company is setting up a Rs 25 crore MRO (maintenance, repair and overhaul) unit for seaplanes in Gujarat. This will be the first single-engine seaplane MRO in the SAARC region.
Verma said the MRO unit would come up next to Bhadar dam, close to Amreli airport, so that both the amphibian type and straight float type seaplanes could be accommodated for servicing. It is expected to be commissioned in the next 18 to 24 months.
The SAARC countries have a fleet of about 20 single-engine seaplanes, which currently have to go to the USA, Europe or Australia for servicing. “Our MRO unit will be able to do most of the servicing at 60-70 per cent of the costs that are being paid currently by the seaplane owners,” he said.
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