The 19-seater seaplane will be able to accommodate 14 passengers and will cover a distance of about 200 km from Ahmedabad and Kevadia

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the first seaplane service in Gujarat to the people on Saturday. He will take the official inaugural flight from Sabarmati Riverfront in Ahmedabad to the Statue of Unity in Kevadia Colony in the Narmada district.

The seaplane, which arrived from Male in the Maldives on Sunday, is a Twin Otter 300 operated by SpiceJet.

The 19-seater seaplane will be able to accommodate 14 passengers at a ticket cost of Rs 4,800 per person. The aerial distance between Ahmedabad and Kevadia of about 200 kilometers will be covered in about 45 minutes. A seaplane can make take-off and land on any large water body - sea, river, or lake.

Minister of State for Shipping Mansukh Mandaviya reviewed preparations on the eve of the launch of the service. “One more day to go! & Seaplane will be a Reality,” he tweeted.



October 31 marks the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel. The Prime Minister is expected to visit the Statue of Unity and pay tribute to Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel.

The Prime Minister is on a two-day visit to Gujarat and has inaugurated various projects under the Integrated Development of Kevadia on Friday. The projects include Arogya Van and Arogya Kutir, the Ekta Mall, and Children Nutrition Park.

“Glad to see Kevadia emerge as a vibrant place for tourism. During my visit, today, inaugurated the Aarogya Van, which contains exhibits relating to nature. Aarogya Van also showcases traditional forms of healing, be it Yoga and Ayurveda,” Modi said in a tweet.



“Inaugurated the Ekta Mall in Kevadia, where India’s rich textiles and handicrafts diversity is on display. It is a fitting tribute to Sardar Patel that Kevadia, which houses the ‘Statue of Unity’ also has such a centre that will further the spirit of ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat,” the Prime Minister said in a subsequent tweet.



“Sharing some glimpses from the Children Nutrition Park, which was inaugurated today in Kevadia. This Park seeks to harness technology in order to spread awareness on nutrition and healthcare,” the Prime Minister tweeted.



It is the Prime Minister’s first visit to Gujarat since the Covid-19 induced lockdown.