India's first seaplane service to be launched on Sardar Vallabhai Patel Jayanti

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his two-day visit to his home state Gujarat, on Saturday will pay tributes to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on his 145th birth anniversary, by inaugurating the country's first seaplane service between the Statue of Unity (SoU) site at Kevadiya Colony to the Sabarmati Riverfront in Ahmedabad.

He will also participate in the Rashtriya Ekta Divas Parade.

The inauguration programme will most likely be the last item on the PM's agenda on Saturday. He will take off from the Kevadiya Jetty built on lake number 3 near the Sardar Sarovar Dam. The sea plane will arrive at the Sabarmati Riverfront in Ahmedabad. From there, the PM is likely to return to Delhi.

The seaplane services will be started by the aviation company, SpiceJet.

The services will be provided incentives and benefits under the central government's 'Udaan' scheme. The scheme is being implemented as per a tripartite agreement between the Gujarat government, the Ministry of Civil Aviation and the Airports Authority of India (AAI).

For the maiden flight, the company has procured a Twin Otter 300 seaplane, which has arrived at Kevadiya SoU jetty. Infrastructural facilities such as a floating jetty are ready at both the places of landing and takeoff at lake number 3 at Kevadiya and at the Sabarmati Riverfront in Ahmedabad.

Before that the PM will take part in the National Unity Parade. The police forces of Gujarat Police, Central Reserved Armed Forces, the Border Security Force, the Indo Tibetan Border Police, the Central Industrial Security Force and the National Security Guards will participate in the parade.

The PM will also witness a rifle drill by female officers of the CRPF. The Indian Air Force will be performing a flypast.

He is also likely to interact with more than 400 trainee officers from services such as the Indian Administrative Services through a virtual conference.