Zee Media Bureau
New Delhi: As part of its ambitious urban infrastructure plans, the government on Tuesday said it will set up a Waterport Authority of India to facilitate plying of seaplanes and a plush 7-star hotel on the Mumbai seas.
"The way there is an Airports Authority of India (AAI), we are preparing a waterport authority in the country, we are going to begin the network of seaplanes in the country, we have discussed it with the Maharashtra state government," Minister for Road Transport, Highways and Shipping Nitin Gadkari said at a Ministerial Conclave organised by Zee Business today.
"We have permitted plying of seaplanes in the country," Gadkari said.
He said the plan will begin from Mumbai which will have a seaplane.
"We have discussed it with the Maharashtra government, we are also building a helipad in Mumbai close to Oberoi hotel and are also planning to set up a 7-star hotel in the sea," the Minister said.
Gadkari, who took charge of his office on May 29, plans to promote ethanol-friendly cars, turning river Ganga into a waterway and rolling out 50 stalled road projects.
He said the government is hopeful of a solution to the Rs 1,80,000 crore worth of stalled highways projects by August 15.
"Before August 15, we are hopeful that we will be able to find a solution," he said.
On Ganga, he said his department in coordination of ministries of water resources, urban development, forest and environment, industry, tourism and power was exploring the possibility of a waterway of Gangotri-Kanpur-Allahabad-Kolkata for cargo and passenger movement.
The river bank can be developed in a such a fashion that tourism is also promoted by setting up airport-like terminals on its banks besides having light and sound shows, he added.
The conclave was inaugurated by Dr Bhaskar Das, Group CEO, Zee Media Corporation Ltd.
The conclave witnessed the presence of three other ministers of the Narendra Modi led NDA-II government - Thawar Chand Gehlot, Nitin Gadkari and Kalraj Mishra along with a huge panel of guests.
With agency inputs
