Gandhinagar, 7 November 2014

Mumbai’s Maritime Energy Heli Air Services (MEHAIR) Pvt Ltd, which operates India’s first onshore seaplane services in Maharashtra, will soon launch regional amphibian aircraft services within Gujarat, an official said Friday.

The Department of Civil Aviation and the Gujarat government Friday issued a letter of intent (LoI) to MEHAIR after it was selected through a competitive tendering process.

This will make Gujarat the second state to have its own regional intra-state aviation services.

The LoI was handed over to MEHAIR co-founder and director Siddharth Verma by Chief Minister Anandiben Patel, Gujarat Aviation Minister Saurabh Patel and Gujarat civil aviation secretary Sonal Mishra.

The service, likely to be launched by Dec 22, will connect major cities like Ahmedabad, Surat, Bhavnagar, Bhuj, Mandvi, Jamnagar, Keshod, Porbandar and Rajkot.

It is likely to use the Cessna 208B Grand Caravan seaplanes which can carry nine passengers plus two pilots.

“This regional air connectivity will provide a bigger fillip to not just trade and commerce but also tourism and religious tourism as it saves time and is a convenient mode of travel,” said Verma on the occasion.

He explained that now people would be able to finish business in a distant city in Gujarat and return home the same day.

-IANS