At Nandi Hills, paragliding to take off from September

Paragliding will soon become part of Bengaluru’s tourism activity with a private company finding more thrill seekers for the adventure sport during the pilot phase of its project at Nandi Hills.

Bangalore Aviation and Sports Enterprises (BASE) began testing the ground at Nandi Hills during the end of December, after obtaining the necessary permission from the state Horticulture Department and the authorities concerned such as the Airports Authority of India, Director General of Civil Aviation, Bangalore International Airport Ltd and others.

While parasailing is being practised at Jakkur Flying School, paragliding, which requires more courage, has slowly attracted more enthusiasts in recent years. At Nandi Hills, the participant jumps from the Mayura Pine Top and glides to reach the ground at the foothills.

The activity, officials believe, will not only boost the tourism potential of Bengaluru but also encourages more people to try the adventure sport, which offers a majestic view of the greenery surrounding the hills.

B G Kumar Swamy of BASE said the activities saw good response right from the beginning.

“We had kept it a low profile event but still saw so much interest. We hope to begin the operations in full scale from September this year,” he said.

During the first phase, the company hired one pilot based on the demand. On an average, Swamy said, about eight people tried the adventure. “We charge Rs 2,500 per ride of about 10 minutes. The response has given us to begin full-fledged operations, once the weather permits” he said.

The company plans to hire eight to 10 pilots by September to scale up operations. “Getting a pilot with 15 years of experience and necessary clearances is a costly affair. The pilot assists the participant throughout the way, ensuring safety. From September, we will be ready to cater to 60 to 70 participants,” he said.