Preparations have started to give a new boost to tourism in Lakshadweep, where access to the beautiful islands situated in the middle of the sea is expected to become easier through seaplane services.
New Delhi: Lakshadweep, one of the most beautiful island regions of India, is now going to enter a new era of tourism. Under the plan of the Central Government, seaplane service can start here soon, through which passengers will be able to land directly on the blue lagoon of the sea. This initiative is being seen as a major step to promote premium and eco-friendly tourism in India. Experts believe that this project can give Lakshadweep a new identity on the international tourism map.
Recommendation for approval for water aerodromes on 6 islands
According to CNN-News18 report, the expert committee of the Union Environment Ministry has recommended giving environmental clearance to the ‘Water Aerodrome’ project on 6 islands of Lakshadweep. These islands include Kavaratti, Agatti, Kadmat, Kiltan, Kalpeni and Minicoy. After getting the final approval, the way will be cleared for seaplane operation here. The objective of this project is to connect marine tourism with modern and fast transportation facilities.
Lakshadweep will be directly connected to Kochi
Under the proposed plan, Kochi in Kerala will be connected to the major islands of Lakshadweep through a seaplane network. With this, tourists will not have to depend on long sea journeys or limited flights. Now passengers will be able to directly reach the islands located in the middle of the ocean in less time, making the travel experience more premium and convenient.
This project of Lakshadweep is now being compared with the successful seaplane model of Maldives. Seaplane services are already a major part of luxury tourism in the Maldives. Under this new initiative of India, tourists will be able to land directly near crystal-clear lagoons and white sandy beaches. This will help in establishing Lakshadweep as a high-end international tourism destination.
Success from first trial flight
The foundation of this project has already been laid. The first successful seaplane trial flight was conducted between Kochi and Lakshadweep on 13 May. The DHC6-400 Twin Otter aircraft made a successful landing on Agatti Island and later also made a test landing in the lagoon of Kavaratti. This test is being considered an important achievement in the transportation history of Lakshadweep.
The water aerodromes to be built under this project will be different from traditional airports. These will be designed keeping in mind the marine environment. These will include:
- small passenger terminal
- floating walkway
- Seaplane Docking Facility
- eco-friendly operating system
The government aims to ensure that tourism development does not have any negative impact on the marine ecosystem.
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