Seaplane facility in Kasargod from August, to be extended to Mangalore soon

Stephan Kayyar
Daijiworld Media Network – Kasargod (SP)

Kasargod, Jun 21: Seaplanes will be providing boost to tourism sector in the district from August this year onwards. Introduction of seaplanes will be a milestone in the tourism sector here. Kerala Tourism Infrastructure Ltd (KTIL), which has identified a spot at Nileshwar Kotappura for the purpose, will be spending about Rs 12 crore towards this facility. Such a facility is already in place at Alappuzha in the state.

As sea coast like in Kerala also exists in Karnataka, KTIL proposes to extend this facility to Mangalore in course of time. The seaplane facility has already become popular with the tourists. Government-owned KTIL has conducted preliminary surveys at Koteppura near Nileshwar, and Talangere in the district.

KTIL sources said that the district will get its first seaplane during the month of August, and that the facility will be extended to Mangalore shortly.

Kotappura already has a small boat jetty, and KTIL proposes to develop this into as a parking area for seaplanes. If both Kerala and Karnataka governments give their nod, seaplanes will be extended to Mangalore.

Thiruvananthapuram airport, Ashtamudi-Punnamada, Vembanad, Munnar, Kochi airport and backwater of Kochi have been identified as potential seaplane circuits. Seaplanes will operate from Ernakulam, Kozhikode and Thiruvananthapuram airport, in addition to New Mangalore port. KTIL has plans to begin seaplane operations from 20 different centres.

Kairali Aviation having its headquarter in Dubai, Maritime Energy Heli Air Service in Mumbai, and Kerala Seaplane Services, will be operating these flights. In the early stages, six-seater seaplanes will become operative. These floating aircrafts, which were earlier seen only in movies, will be providing exhilarating experiences to the local tourists shortly. Many feel that seaplanes will add a new chapter in the history of coastal tourism in the country.