Brand new jet awaits PM

When Prime Minister Manmohan Singh leaves hospital, he will have a gift waiting for him. A new Boeing Business Jet with all mod cons is for his use on domestic tours is ready with plush, customised interiors and high-end security gadgets.

“He was supposed to use it for the first time to visit Kolkata last week but the tour was cancelled,” said an official of the prime minister’s office.

While the prime minister will use the new Rs 734-crore Boeing 737 series aircraft for his domestic tours, he will continue to use his Air India special aircraft for foreign trips. At present, he uses a Brazil-made Embraer aircraft for his tours within India. “The noise level in the Embraer is very high and there is a lot of disturbance. But in the new aircraft, people can actually have a conversation without shouting,” said an official. The new jet has a four-seater special cabin for the prime minister apart from a 12-seater executive class cabin for his aides and bureaucrats.

There is also a separate “bedroom” for the prime minister. “The Embraer also had a bed but the prime minister never used it. He preferred to use the sofa for sitting as well as sleeping,” said a PMO official.