Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday inaugurated the country’s first seaplane service between the Statue of Unity site at Kevadiya Colony to the Sabarmati Riverfront in Ahmedabad, marking the 145th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

The seaplane is a Twin Otter 300 registered in the name M/s Spicejet Technic and it will be operated by SpiceJet.

The 19-seater seaplane will be used for flights between the Sabarmati riverfront and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s Statue of Unity in Kevadia as a part of the regional connectivity scheme. The seaplane will be able to accommodate 12 passengers and tickets will cost Rs 4,800 per person.

Meanwhile, the Civil Aviation Ministry has agreed to start a seaplane service between Brahmaputra river in Guwahati, Assam to Umiam river in Shillong, Meghalaya in an effort to promote tourism.

Seaplanes, which are powered fixed-wing aircraft capable of taking off and landing (alighting) on water, can also take off and land on airfields. It is also called as amphibious aircraft.