Vibrant Gujarat Summit: Mehair to ink pact for setting up MRO unit in Gujarat

MUMBAI: City-based seaplane operator Maritime Energy Heli Air Services Pvt Ltd ( Mehair) plans to set up the country's first maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility for seaplanes at Bhadar dam in Gujarat, a top company official has said.

The company will today sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Gujarat government in this regard in the presence of prime minister Narendra Modi at the 'Vibrant Gujarat Summit'.

"Such a facility will not only cater to the seaplane population of India, but also the growing seaplane numbers around India in the SAARC region," Mehair co-founder and director, Siddharth Verma told PTI.

"As of now, these planes need to go to the US, Europe or Australia for aircraft overhaul, thereby having to spend a lot of money on the ferry flights as well as the high cost of labour in these countries.

"India will provide an excellent next door facility, plus economics of lower cost to the seaplane fleet of the SAARC region," he said.

The MRO facility will be accessible to both amphibian seaplanes and straight float planes, he added.

"We will be developing a hanger space for multiple aircraft as well as boarding and lodging facility for crew operating the aircraft and MRO's own personnel working on site," Verma said.

When asked how much the company plans to invest for setting up the facility, he said," As we expect the land to be provided by the government, we may require around Rs 20-25 crore for setting up the facility.

"We expect the MRO will be up and running within the next 18 months, subject to the grant of land and other statutory approvals from the state and central authorities."

Mehair has already started its services from Juhu airport in Mumbai to Mula dam in Ahmednagar and Pawana dam in Lonavala.

The company pioneered the launch of seaplanes operations in the country in January 2011 when it rolled out services in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.