Kerala's Seaplane service trial run from Kochi to Munnar on Monday
Kochi, Nov 9: Kerala's ambitious seaplane project is set to take flight, with the first seaplane scheduled to land at Bolgatty backwaters here at 2:30 pm on Sunday.
Minister of Tourism PA Muhammad Riyas will flag off the trial of sea plane service from Bolgatty to Mattupetti reservoir near Munnar at 9.30 am on Monday, Transport Secretary(Aviation, Metro and Railways) Biju Prabhakar said here, on Saturday.
A reception will be held for the pilots of the aircraft at the Bolgatty Palace to mark the occasion.
Biju Prabhakar stated that the Seaplane project will transform Kerala's tourism sector, urging stakeholders to fully leverage the opportunities it presents.
"The project aims to create high-value tourism opportunities. Beyond tourism, it has also potential for boosting medical transport, emergency evacuation, and VIP travels sectors. The trial service is intended to demonstrate the project's feasibility to tourism operators and the public," he added.
The seaplane initiative is part of the government’s Regional Connectivity Scheme. It was officially inaugurated on Saturday, at Andhra Pradesh, Prabhakar said.
The amphibious aircraft, which can take off and land on both land and water, has a capacity to carry nine passengers. After arriving from Andhra Pradesh, the seaplane will make a refueling stop at Kochi International Airport before landing at Bolgatty Marina in Kochi at 2:30 pm, he added.
Before the trial, Biju Prabhakar visited the Marina to review security measures and ensure everything was in place for the seaplane's landing.
According to Tourism department officials, seaplanes are amphibious aircraft capable of taking off and landing on both land and water, offering passengers the unique advantage of stunning aerial views through large windows.
Traveling over the scenic landscapes of Munnar and the Western Ghats promises a truly memorable experience for travelers.
One of the key benefits of seaplanes is that they eliminate the high costs associated with building and maintaining traditional airstrips, officers said.
The government is planning to develop a seaplane tourism circuits that will connect major water bodies and airports across Kerala. This includes destinations like Mattupetty in Idukki, Malampuzha in Palakkad, Vembanadu in Alappuzha, Ashtamudikkayal in Kollam, Chandragiripuzha inKasargod, and Kovalam in Thiruvananthapuram, they added.
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CJI's advice to aspirant: Join the bar, become a lawyer, don't hanker for judicial services post
New Delhi (PTI): She came to the Supreme Court seeking a re-evaluation of her paper in the examination for joining judicial services as a magistrate. What she got instead was a rejection — and a candid confession by the Chief Justice that he too had wanted to join the judicial services in his youth but was advised by a senior judge to become a lawyer instead.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi on Friday dismissed a plea filed by Prerna Gupta, the judicial services aspirant.
As Gupta pressed her case, the CJI intervened and said, "Let me share my personal story and I hope you will go happily as we cannot allow your petition."
He recounted his time as a final-year law student in 1984 when he wanted to become a judicial officer. As per requirement, he cleared the written test and was set to appear for an interview.
Judicial services is one of the two routes to become a judge after initially joining as a magistrate in lower court and thereafter rising through the ranks to become judge in a high court and possibly the Supreme Court.
The other route is to join the Bar, which means becoming a lawyer, and after building a reputation be picked from the Bar to become a judge at a senior level.
By the time the CJI's exam results came out, he had started practising at the Punjab and Haryana High Court when he was called for the interview.
The senior-most judge on the interview panel happened to be a judge before whom he had recently argued two significant matters.
"One of the matters was Sunita Rani vs Baldev Raj, where he had allowed my appeal in a matrimonial case and set aside the decree of divorce granted by the District Judge on the ground of schizophrenia," he noted.
Before the interview could take place, the judge called the young Surya Kant to his chamber and asked, 'Do you want to become a judicial officer?'
"I said 'yes.' He immediately said, 'Get out from (my) the chamber.'"
The courtroom fell silent as the CJI Justice described his initial heartbreak.
“I came out trembling. All my dreams were shattered. I thought he had snubbed me and that my career was over,” the CJI said.
However, the story took another turn the following day and the judge summoned him again, this time offering a piece of advice that would change the trajectory of his life.
“He said, ‘If you want to become (a judge), you are welcome. But my advice is, don’t become a judicial officer. The Bar is waiting for you,’” Justice Surya Kant recalled.
The CJI said he decided to skip his interview and didn't even tell his parents at first, fearing their disappointment, and instead chose to dedicate himself to his practice as an advocate.
“Now tell me did I make a bad right or bad decision,” the CJI asked and the litigant lawyer left the court with a smile on her face despite her case being dismissed.
Encouraging the petitioner to look toward the future rather than dwelling on the re-evaluation of a single paper, Justice Surya Kant said, "The Bar has much to offer."
