[1]Bengaluru may have thought up with different ways to beat the traffic on its crowded roads, but its planners have never come up with this : Amphibian planes to skim through its lakes, landing with equal ease on water and land to make commuting in the city plain sailing.
In a first of its kind project in the state, amphibian planes ,may now be used to promote tourism both in its coastal belt and in a city like Bengaluru , thanks to its many lakes.
A sea plane company, Maritime Energy Heli Air Services Pvt Ltd has put forward the idea and is hoping the service will take off in Karnataka soon, now that it has signed an Expression of Interest (EOI) for Rs. 198 Crore with the government during GIM-2012.
"We have indentified Belandur Lake and TG Halli reservoir to start the service . Since the plane can land both on land and water, Bengaluru’s lakes can be utilised for commuting across the city.
We are ready to launch the service as soon as possible. We need around 45 days to conduct feasibility tests and 90 days more to launch it, ” says a Maritime spokesperson , revealing the company has an amphibian plane facility in the Andamans which costs Rs. 2600 for a 20 minutes journey. "However, the fare for a ride on a amphibian plane can vary from state to state," he adds.
Marime hopes to introduce the service on the beaches of Mangalore and other parts of coastal Karnataka in the first phase.
It is also exploring the possibility of introducing an amphibian plane service for Krishnarajasagara in Mysore, giving tourists a panoramic view of the dam and Brindavan Gardens.
Links:
[1] http://archive.asianage.com/untitled-339jpgcropdisplayjpg-213