Hyderabad: Heli-tourism service has started its first joy ride over the city on Tuesday. Nearly twenty people have paid Rs 3,499 per head for a 10-minute helicopter ride.
The project was launched by the minister K.T. Rama Rao the IT Minister of Telangana. He inaugurated the helicopter rides at 10 AM at Necklace Road along with his colleague Ajmera Chandulal and tourism secretary B.Venkatesam.
Hyderabad Aerial trip is an initiative by ‘Heli Tourism in Hyderabad’ in collaboration with Indwell Aviation Private Limited. If this initiative receives a good response, the government is planning to start similar services in various places like Nagarjuna Sagar, Warangal, Karimnagar, Nallamalla forest and along Godavari river.
The ride covers Hussainsagar, Assembly buildings, Birla Mandir, Golconda Fort, Charminar, Salarjung Museum and the High Court. The four-seater helicopter, a Bell 406, operates from a specially made helipad near Jalavihar on Necklace Road and the booking starts from
9 am to 5 pm.
Mr Chakradhar Reddy from Karimnagar said. “I feel very happy to be the first tourist to purchase a ticket. This is the first time I had a bird’s eye view of city from a helicopter. The pilot guided us all through.”
Mr Bapu Rao, another tourist from Karimnagar, said. “The city looked beautiful from above.”
Mr Rama Rao said the copter ride would make Hyderabad a global city. He said.“Flying is not a privilege of the rich now. The joy ride over Hyderabad proves this. It is within the reach of the common man.”
He added.“We are focusing on reviving Osmansagar, Hussainsagar and the Musi, We have lots of plans. The Buddha Purnima project was taken up in the past. We will take up more such initiatives and develop Sanjeevaiah Park.”