Plane converted into restaurant in Ludhiana

Flying High Airbus A320 has been converted into a restaurant at the Hawai Adda complex on Ferozepur Road in Ludhiana.

Hawai Adda is the name of the complex where four cousins have opened a restaurant inside a plane in Ludhiana, a city known for its opulence. More than the opulence, it's the innovation that hits you.

The location is the Verka Milk Bar premises on Ferozepur Road, where Milkfed, the Staterun Corporation that owns Verka brand, has reportedly leased out the land to Kulwant Singh for Rs. one lakh a month.

Jaswinder Singh, Kulwant's cousin and the managing partner, said: "I acquire scrapped planes and turn them into themed entertainment venues. In Punjab, it's the first such project and the first such restaurant in India."

The project did run into trouble with the authorities as the Municipal Corporation did not quite know whether to consider the putting together of the plane here as a new building.

The fire safety wing too gave it No-Objection Certificate (NOC) after much controversy and delay before the place opened for business around two months.

"There were some questions, because it's a new thing. But that's all behind us now, sorted. We have a lifetime lease," said Jaswinder.

"It took one and a half years to execute this concept, especially for those who haven't travelled by plane ever" he added.

While the plane is originally a 180-seater Airbus A320, the seating capacity of the restaurant to make it airier has been reduced to 65.

"Specialized engineers put it together and then the interiors were done in about four months. Besides the plane parked in the front lawn, the complex has a bakery, cafe and a small banquet hall. "But people mostly prefer to sit inside the plane," Jaswinder said.