With amphibious aircraft, Vijayawada to take off as a tourist hotspot

VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu test drove a seaplane at Punnami Ghat on the banks of the Krishna river in Vijayawada on Wednesday. The ride on the seaplane is a first-of-its-kind in the country and was successfully demonstrated on Wednesday. A special jetty was constructed to felicitate the Chief Minister. 

Addressing the gathering, Naidu said, “Seaplanes are available in many countries. We are happy to have them in Amaravati. These planes can take off both on land and water, just 3 feet of water is enough for a takeoff. Soon we will develop seaplane tourism across the State and connect river based cities.”

He further said tourism officials are doing well and appreciated their efforts for building the 80 metre high musical water fountain. “Regulations and guidelines regarding seaplanes will be out within 30 days for which the State government has already sent an appeal to Aviation minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju.” He added that even Spicejet has come forward to partner with the State government and placed an order for 100 seaplanes. The service is likely to start from March 2018.