ME News Bureau: Ahmedabad – Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached Ahmedabad on Tuesday, the final day of campaigning before the second phase of polling for the Gujarat Assembly elections. He travelled from Sabarmati river to Dharoi Dam in a seaplane, the first to take off from the river.
The Quest Kodiac plane needs a runway length of only 300 meters for take-off and landing, and is furnished with floats that lets it land on waterways. It is a small aircraft that can transport up to 15 passengers.
As Modi traveled in a seaplane, Nitin Gadkari, Union Road Transport and Highways Minister, called it a “historic day”, stating that It will be a great revolution in the transport segment as India has an enormous potential.
Modi had tweeted the previous day, “Tomorrow at 9:30 am I will travel from Sabarmati River in Ahmedabad to Dharoi Dam via sea plane. After that will offer prayers to Maa Amba at Ambaji. With air, roads & rail connectivity, our Government is making efforts for harnessing waterways. All this is for 125 crore Indians!”
The demo of the aircraft was held recently by Gadkari and Ashok Gajapathi Raju, Union Civil Aviation Minister, with other officials. SpiceJet has proposed to launch seaplane services in India and is likely to make at least 10 planes operational within a year. It is conducting trials of its 10-seater Kodiac, and has plans purchase at least 100 planes costing Rs 4 crore each from Japanese company Setouchi Holdings.
