Andhra To Launch Seaplane Services From Prakasam Barrage To Srisailam

Vijayawada

After the first-ever massive display of drones of different sizes and applications turning into a grand success, Andhra Pradesh government with the support of the Centre is gearing up to launch regular seaplane services to attract tourists from Prakasam Barrage here to Srisailam in Nandyal district.

With the Centre issuing the green signal with all the required approvals, a demo of the service is expected to be launched on November 9 from the Punnami Ghat, where the drone show was organised sometime ago by unveiling plans to transform the State into a drone hub. "Based on its success of seaplane service from Vijayawada to Srisailam, we will replicate it in Visakhapatnam and other areas with heavy tourism potential in the Godavari districts," Tourism Minister Kandula Durgesh, told Bizz Buzz.

Though MoU was signed with an adventure tourism firm to introduce airplanes from Rushikonda beach in Visakhapatnam to 17th century Dutch township Bheemunipatnam and Kakinada in the Godavari region in the past, it did not take off due to technical reasons. The proposal is likely to be revived by the coalition government based on the outcome of the service to be launched from Punnami Ghat located on the banks of River Krishna to Patalganga (Old Boating Ghat) at Srisailam. This will reduce the travel time by road from seven hours to just 40 minutes with a panoramic view of the River Krishna, Prakasam Barrage, Srisailam Reservoir and Nallamala Forests and enable the tourists to have the darshan of the famous Shiivaitte Shrine of Sri Bhramaramba Mallikarjuna Swamy temple.

The trial run will be conducted with a 14-seater aircraft. The Ministry of Civil Aviation, the State Tourism Department and the Andhra Pradesh Airports Development Corporation Limited (APADCL) are actively involved in promoting the innovative initiative.