NAGAPATTINAM: The district is set to offer heli-tourism and emergency aviation services in Velankanni by the end of the month as a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed on Monday will facilitate the commencement of the construction of a basic helipad on a parcel of leased land near the Tsunami Memorial as early as this week.
As per the MoU signed between the Nagapattinam Tourism Promotion Committee (NTPC) headed by District Collector P Akash and Jayam Aviation Private Ltd., an aviation firm, a helipad measuring 40 × 40 square feet and a temporary control room will be set up on 25 cents of land leased out by the Basilica of Our Lady of Good Health.
On the project, Aravind S from the Convergence team at the district collectorate, said, it was part of their “broader efforts to create a supportive ecosystem for growth in Nagapattinam” wherein the district administration “seeks to act as a facilitator, ensuring improved access and a better overall experience for devotees and visitors alike”.
“It provides devotees the opportunity to visit Velankanni by air, while also generating additional spin-off benefits for tourism and the local economy. Also, the availability of such aviation infrastructure is considered essential, as helicopters often become the only means of access during emergencies,” he added.
Pointing out that the land was being provided by the Velankanni church, he said, “The promoters will develop the infrastructure capable of handling (helicopter) movements. The church administration has been extremely supportive.”
Meanwhile, J Sugumar, director of Jayam Aviation, said there is growing demand for heli charter services. “The project aims to address the growing demand for helicopter services from NRIs and foreign tourists, many of whom travel by flight up to Tiruchy and seek chartered helicopter connectivity to Velankanni. Several such charter requests are currently being cancelled due to the lack of basic aviation infrastructure in the region,” he added.
“With proper infrastructure in place, a helicopter could reduce the travel time to about 45 minutes, where it will take 3 to 4 hours by car from Tiruchy to Velankanni, making the service commercially viable. The heli charter service could be expanded in future,” he also said.
As part of the initiative, short helicopter rides are planned to be launched by the end of this month. The “joy rides” will cover a distance of about 25 kilometres, lasting 10 minutes, at a cost of Rs 6,000 per person. Up to six passengers can be accommodated per trip. Helicopter charter services, on the other hand, are expected to cost Rs 1.5 lakh per hour, accommodating six passengers for short distances and five passengers for long-distance travel. The parking charges include a fee of Rs 12,000 per landing, which is more affordable than the high parking fees at airports, official sources said.