Visakhapatnam: The scenic beauty of Vizag city and Araku Valley can be enjoyed in a bird’s view from Dasara. To encourage heli-tourism in Andhra Pradesh to attract more visitors from the country and other parts of globe, Visakhapatnam Urban Development Authority (VUDA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Sky Choppers Logistics Private Limited to launch first ever heli-tourism programme to take short as well as long distance travel between major tourism destinations in Vizag.
The launch is planned on Vijaya Dasami (Dasara on October 11, 2016). Heli-tourism is aimed at providing economical trips for travellers and a six-seater helicopter will be on service. HRD Minister Ganta Srinivasa Rao said heli-tourism services from the Vuda Park to Kailasagiri, Vuda Park to Bheemili and Vuda Park to Araku Valley are expected to take off from Dasara. Vuda will construct a helipad and three rooms in two acres in Vua Park and VUDA will charge Rs 50,000 per month from Sky Choppers for providing the facilities.
There are plans to develop 14 places under coastal corridor project with Rs 100 crore and to introduce tribal circuit tourism with Rs 100 crore, he added. Sources said that Rs 2,000 will be charged per head for Vuda Park-Kailasagiri-Vuda Park and Rs 5,000 for Vuda Park-Araku-Vuda Park. However, the final fares will be decided in October only. The helicopter ride to Kailasagiri and back from Vuda Parks would take around 7 minutes while the ride to Araku would last for about 20 minutes. The firm is offering Rs 10 lakh insurance cover for the travellers in the chopper.
Once Vuda completes the helipad, we will obtain clearance from the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) for operations as a team of DGCA will inspect the helipad and other facilities, said CJ Chandrasekhar of Sky Choppers. He said that Sky Choppers has experience in the operation of helicopters at popular pilgrimage centres such as Kedaranath and Amarnath and that they conducted feasibility studies for operations of helicopters on the invitation of APTDC and a few other departments.
