Shortly after his ride on a seaplane from Sabramati Riverfront to Dharoi Dam in Gujarat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi vouched for the crucial role that the amphibious aircrafts can play in boosting tourism and during medical emergencies.
In a series of Tweets, Modi said: “Sea plane services can also be helpful during times of medical emergencies. Those needing even quicker access to medical care and those living in remote areas stand to gain a lot.”
“Effective use of waterways augurs well for tourism. Places like Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, our vibrant North East, places with many water bodies, big dams, waterways will benefit with usage of sea planes,” he said.
“More tourism also brings greater economic opportunities,” he added.
On the last day of campaigning in Gujarat, Modi took off from Sabarmati Riverfront in Ahmedabad to pray at the famous Ambaji temple, as he showcased the development in his home state.
Modi landed at Dharoi Dam, about 180 km away and then headed to the famous Ambaji temple in Mehsana to offer prayers.
“Earlier today, I travelled on a sea plane from Ahmedabad’s Sabarmati River to Dharoi Dam, taking off and landing on water,” he tweeted.
“This experience was unique. It adds strength to our resolve to harness waterways for India’s progress,” he added.
The seaplane ride was Plan B after the PM’s roadshow in Ahmedabad on Tuesday was cancelled due to security concerns. His return journey would also be by the same sea-plane.
With the second and final phase of polls due on Thursday, Modi has been in the state consecutively for the last four days. Since the election notification for Gujarat, Modi has been a very frequent visitor to the state to campaign for the ruling BJP.
Many have termed the plane ride a masterstroke of PM Modi to showcase the development that has taken place under the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in the last 22 years.