Panaji: Helicopter joyrides to make comeback soon

PANAJI: The foundation stone for building a helipad at Ela Goa, to restart the helicopter rides will be laid on Tuesday. Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC) chairperson Dayanand Sopte told reporters on Thursday of their plans to resume the helicopter rides from Ela Goa once the helipad is ready.
Sopte said that their endeavour is to increase footfalls by adding more tourist services. Two months agothe GTDC introduced bungee jumping at Mayem lake, which has been beautified after many years."We want to have more services which tourists can be introduced to," he said.
Goa Tourism was compelled to discontinue its heli rides in 2014, which were being operated from Aguada helipad, following protests by local fishermen that the noise was disturbing their fishing activity.
Subsequently, the operation of heli rides was moved to South Goa by hiring the helipad of a starred hotel in Arossim. It was however discontinued at the end of season as it entailed incurring added cost and posed logistic problems.