Hyderabad: The Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation’s (APTDC) much-hyped chopper ride over the city’s landmark destinations might well remain a dream unless some miracles happen.
Tourists were promised a spectacular aerial view of landmarks like Birla mandir, Golconda Fort, Charminar, Hussainsagar etc on a 15 minute-helicopter ride, when Tourism Minister Vatti Vasanth Kumar had launched the service on the occasion of World Tourism Day on September 27 last year. But the service has not taken off following the failure to get permission and clearances from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
Chandana Khan, principal secretary, primary education, who is also incharge of tourism, clarified that the project was not scrapped. She said, “there are some problems related to DGCA clearances. As of now, I cannot comment on it, I will study the issue first. But I can say that the project is not scrapped.” An official of the service provider Deccan Aviation Pvt Ltd, who refused to reveal his identity, said ,”they (DGCA) have their own reasons for the delay in giving clearances”. However, contradicting himself, he hinted that the company had received the required permissions but couldn’t operationalise the chopper service as all their choppers were off for the Uttar Pradesh elections.
15/02/12 New Indian Express/IBN Live
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