Maharashtra ropes in Pawan Hans to boost tourism

Helicopter services will now be made available for tourists looking to visit places like Elephanta Island, Ajanta and Ellora caves and Ganpatipule

In a bid to give an impetus to tourism in the state, Maharashtra government has signed an MoU with private helicopter service company Pawan Hans.

"We have signed an MoU with Pawan Hans to boost tourism in Maharashtra. Along with locals, foreign tourists are especially found to be more inclined towards chopper services for touring the state," Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis told PTI.

He said the MoU between Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation and Pawan Hans was signed on December 30, 2015.

Fadnavis further said that helicopter services will now be available for tourists looking to visit Elephanta Island, Ajanta and Ellora caves, Ganpatipule (a small town located in Ratnagiri district on the Konkan coast), Tarkarli (a tourist spot in Sindhudurg district) and Aamby Valley.

"With the commencement of these services, tourists will now be able to take chopper rides to their destinations at a cheap rate. They can now enjoy aerial and ground views of their destinations without burning a hole in their pockets," Fadnavis said.