Seaplane service to Andamans by October

New Delhi: Pawan Hans Helicopters Ltd (PHHL) along with the Andaman and Nicobar administration is getting the country’s first seaplane for island hopping in the archipelago by tourists.
The two government bodies last week agreed to equally share the cost of this programme that will, to begin with, be launched as a pilot project for six months in October and then extended depending on the response.
“We are going to issue a global tender to take a helicopter on wet lease (hired from a company that looks after its maintenance and provides the crew). Seaplanes are available in the range of eight to 18 seaters,” PHHL chief R K Tyagi said.
Operating the seaplane will cost about Rs 1 crore a month, including lease rental and operational expenses, that will be equally shared by the two government agencies.
The Andaman administration has chosen some of the most beautiful islands for being linked by the seaplane with capital Port Blair. These include Havelock (rated among the best beaches globally), Barren Island (an active volcano that most recently came to life five years ago), Neil and Diglipur.
13/04/10 Times of India

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Categories: Airports Apr 2010, Indian Aviation- In General Apr 2010, New Apr 2010