Bharat Airways Private Limited (BAPL), a Bangalore-based aviation company, has started the first heli-taxi service in Kerala, connecting Kochi international airport with Sabarimala, a famous pilgrim centre. The service, launched on Saturday, would provide air connectivity to Nilakkal, a place near the Sabarimala temple in Pathanamthitta district. A Bell-407 helicopter with five passenger seats would be offered initially at a cost of Rs 45,000 (Rs 9,000 per person). The copter will take 30 minutes to reach Nilakkal from Kochi.
The service will commence on a pilot basis from October 15. Regular services will commence from November when Mandalakalam, the main pilgrim season at Sabarimala, starts and there would be taxi service between 6 am and 6 pm.
Travancore Devaswom Board president M Rajagopalan Nair flagged off the first service in the presence of CG Krishnadas Nair, managing director of Cochin International Airport Limited. According to BAPL, more helicopters would also be introduced once the construction of the helipad is completed at Nilakkal. The company also proposes to commence similar services to other pilgrim centres like Guruvayoor and Kodungallur.