Bids received for Kasaragod water aerodrome project during UDAN 5.5 bidding

Regional aerial connectivity successful the bluish extremity of Kerala is apt to person a boost with hose companies evincing involvement successful starting seaplane services connecting Kasaragod with the Mangaluru and Kannur airports. 

Replying to a question by Rajmohan Unnithan, MP, successful Parliament, the Union Civil Aviation Minister has informed that the Kasaragod h2o aerodrome projected by the Kerala authorities was included connected the tentative database of h2o aerodromes nether the UDAN Scheme Document.

During the UDAN 5.5 bidding round, bids were received for Kasaragod (water aerodrome) and a Letter of Intent (LoI) has been issued for seaplane operations connected routes connecting Kasaragod with the Mangaluru and Kannur airports. As per the strategy provisions, the required infrastructure for the h2o aerodrome has to beryllium developed by the State government. Further, commencement of cognition is taxable to the readiness of infrastructure and the operator, said the Minister. 

DPR

A elder bureaucrat told The Hindu that the State authorities had already sought the effect of KIIFCON-RITES, a associated task entrusted with the task of holding a feasibility survey connected mounting up airstrips successful Idukki, Wayanad and Kasaragod districts, connected preparing the elaborate task study (DPR) for the seaplane task successful Kasaragod on with different identified destinations successful Kerala successful 3 months.

“The KIIFCON-RITES is yet to reply to the authorities query. We are hopeful of processing the indispensable infrastructure astatine identified places erstwhile the DPR is prepared based connected the feasibility of the project,” said the officer.

In a caller directive, the Union authorities had directed the State to hole the DPR for starting seaplane services from the Idukki dam site, Malampuzha dam site, Banasura Sagar dam, Mattupetty/Chenkulam dam and Bekal. The State had earlier submitted a database of astir 10 waterbodies, including those successful Kovalam, Ashtamudi, Kumarakom, Punnamada, and the Chandragiri Puzha successful Kasaragod, for mounting up waterdromes and different ancillary facilities required for starting seaplane services.

A twelvemonth ago, a trial formation of the seaplane work was successfully conducted successful the waterbodies of the State, raising hopes of the much-touted seaplane project.