The Centre government owned Pawan Hans Helicopters has abandoned plans for starting a sea-plane service due to “lack of interest” from the Union Territory government.
Responding to a query by a Parliamentary Panel on the delays in starting the service, the ministry of Civil Aviation said the firm has put the plans on hold.
“Despite several reminders, Lakhadweep Administration has not yet responded to Pawan Hans. It appears that the Lakshadweep Administration is not interested in this project,” it told the Committee on Government assurances.
A present, Lakshadweep is only connected by ship or small airplanes operated by Kingfisher Airlines from Kochi, around 400 km away.
Pawan Hans, primarily a helicopter operator, said it conducted studies and submitted a ‘feasibility report’ to the Lakshadweep administration in December 2008 and has been “consistently trying to get a response” from the territory administration.