AHMEDABAD: The Gujarat government disclosed in the Assembly on Monday that over the past two years, it has expended Rs 58 crore on the maintenance, leasing, fuel, and staffing of its state-owned aircraft and helicopters.
Congress MLA Arvind Ladani from Manavdar had inquired about the expenditure incurred by the Gujarat government on maintenance, leasing, fuel, pilots, and other staff for state-owned aircraft and helicopters over the last two years.
The government’s written response indicated an expenditure of Rs. 34,26,65,295 for maintenance, leasing, fuel, pilots, and other staff for planes and helicopters from January 1, 2021, to December 31, 2022. Additionally, Rs. 24,24,55,209 was spent from January 1, 2022, to December 31, 2023, totalling Rs. 58,51,20,504 spent on such expenses in just two years.
However, the government opted not to reveal the identity of the company responsible for the maintenance of planes and helicopters, citing the sensitivity of this information due to its association with the highest levels of state security.
Despite the significant investment in government planes, the future of India’s first seaplane service, which began for the public, remains uncertain.
On February 13, 2024, the Gujarat government announced that no agency had expressed interest in reviving the seaplane service between the Sabarmati Riverfront in Ahmedabad and the Statue of Unity in Narmada district, despite a tender issued in May of the previous year.
State Civil Aviation Minister Balvant Sinh Rajput reported that as of December 2023, the state had spent Rs 17.5 crore on the now-defunct service. Notably, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the seaplane service in October 2020, which was discontinued in April 2021 after he had inaugurated it by travelling from a pond near the Statue of Unity to the Sabarmati Riverfront.
Although a tender was issued in May 2023 to restart the service, no interest was shown in the tendering process, Rajput informed the House. Congress MLA Tushar Chaudhary highlighted the issue, noting that the plane used by the Prime Minister was nearly 50 years old, remained in service for only two months, and was sent to the Maldives after developing a technical snag. Rajput reassured the House that future seaplanes would be in better condition, addressing concerns over the aircraft’s quality and the management of the seaplane service