Mehair to expand operations in Maharashtra & Rajasthan

After launching its first intra-state flight services in Gujarat, city-based seaplane operator Mehair is now planning to expand its operations to Rajasthan and Maharashtra.

In January, Mehair had launched the first intra-state flight connecting Ahmedabad and Porbandar in the Saurashtra region of Gujarat.

"Taking a cue from the response and lessons learnt from the Gujarat project, we now plan to start similar services in Rajasthan and Maharashtra as well," Mehair co-founder and director Siddharth Verma told PTI here.

He said Rajasthan has given a go-ahead for launching the services and they are working on the details to commence operations before the Resurgent Rajasthan summit in November.

"Rajasthan offers a unique blend of a well-developed tourist market and a culture for travel which could make an interesting and a sustainable business potential," Verma said.

Initially, the company plans to connect Udaipur, Jaipur and Jodhpur from Bikaner and serve as a feeder service from small towns to these cities so that it can provide two-way connectivity to tourists and locals alike.

In Maharashtra, Mehair is planning to connect Mumbai with Solapur, Kolhapur, Nanded and Latur in the first phase.

"We have already concluded meetings with various stakeholders in these towns... And we are confident of launching the service within the next three months," he said.

The company plans to initially operate aircraft with a seating capacity of 19 in both the sectors.

"In Gujarat, we operate a Cessna 208B Grand Caravan with a

capacity of nine passengers. But for these two states, we plan to operate our 19-seater aircraft mainly to keep the cost low and attract volume," Verma said.

When asked about the company's plans to fund this expansion, Verma said, "Given our expansion plans both in the seaplane and regional air connectivity service, we are open to partnerships with like-minded people."

Mehair, which pioneered the seaplane services from the Andamans, started its operations in Maharashtra from Mumbai to the Mula Dam in Ahmednagar, the Pawana Dam in Lonavala, the Ambey Valley in Pune.

Last week, it had received formal clearances for operations till the Dhom Dam in Mahabaleshwar and the Gangapur Dam in Nasik.

"We expect to launch the services on both the destinations

this month itself," he said, adding that the company has also received DGCA nod for seaplane trials in Goa, which are expected to be concluded within this month.