Soon couples in India could marry at sea on luxury cruises that the government wants to facilitate at locations like Goa, Mumbai and Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said today.
The couples who can afford such luxury need not go to Sydney Harbour for a gala wedding as government is facilitating such services here and such weddings could easily accommodate about 4,000 people, Gadkari said.
He also said that the shipping ministry has sought the Directorate General of Civil Aviation's (DGCA) approval for operating 25 sea planes by an investor.
The proposal for seaplanes is at final stages and once through, at least 25 seaplanes could be seen in India in the first leg, the Road Transport, Highways and Shipping Minister told reporters here.
"We have received a proposal from an investor to operate 25 seaplanes in India at the first leg. The proposal has been sent to DGCA for approval and once it is through, the services can be started here," Gadkari said.
The minister has been stressing on promoting such ventures in India and had earlier invited global investors to tap the huge potential of sea planes in the country, a move that will boost the tourism sector.
"We are making efforts to encourage seaplanes. A small nation like Maldives has a fleet of 47 sea planes but India despite vast potential has none," the minister said.
Sea planes would boost tourism and the government will facilitate all approvals, he said.
The government's priority is also to develop its 1,300 islands and 218 lighthouses to attract tourists, he said adding it was committed to sustainable development through environment-friendly policies.
Also on the anvil are 2000 waterports across the country as India has 14,000 km of waterfront in 13 coastal areas, he said.
Expressing hope that the bill to convert 111 rivers into waterways will be passed in the current session of Parliament, Gadkari said small waterports would be set up at different locations like 15 waterports which have already been set up on the banks of Brahmaputra in Assam.
He said waterways was the priority area for his government and the major ports had shown exemplary performance this year whether in cargo traffic or revenue earning.
Also on the anvil is two transshipment hubs one at Colachel in Tamil Nadu and the other in Maharashtra at a cost of Rs 10,000 crore, he said,
The minister said there was no dearth of finances and the government has taken several initiatives for ports mechanisation and modernisation.
