The government is gearing up to launch seaplane operations in the State. The Cabinet on Wednesday decided to go ahead with the project which had gone into hibernation since the inaugural flight in June 2013.
Briefing the media after a Cabinet meeting, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said the government had initiated discussions with several companies that had come forward to operate the service. He said efforts were on to clear the apprehensions of the fishermen opposing the project and come to a consensus on launching the ambitious project. He added that the proposed service would skirt water bodies where fishermen had raised objections citing disruption of inland fishing activities.
An initiative of the Tourism Department in association with private aviation companies, the seaplane service was designed to link major tourist locations in the State and provides the last-mile linkage to backwater destinations from airports in Kerala. The proposal involved the construction of waterdromes with floating jetties in the backwaters.
The project failed to take off amid protest by traditional fishermen who feared that it would affect their livelihood and impact on the marine ecology. The inaugural flight launched by the Chief Minister had to be diverted after fishermen blocked the landing area in Punnamada Lake with their boats.
An expert committee set up by the government had proposed the relocation of the waterdrome in Alappuzha to an area where fishing activity was lesser. It also called for livelihood support programmes for the fishermen as part of the responsible tourism initiative.
The government had since offered several incentives to attract potential seaplane operators to the State.
