Four business groups with operations in the diamond industry have come together to launch “Diamond Aeronautics” an air taxi service that will provide better connectivity from Surat’s airport. Initial investment is estimated to be about Rs 30-40 crore.

The venture is being steered by Govindbhai Dholakia of Shri Ramkrishna Export, Lalji Patel of Dharmanandan Diamonds, Savji Dholakia of Shri Harekrishna Export and Lavji Badshah of the Avadh-Anjani Group and will become Gujarat’s first full-fledged air taxi service.

Initially the service will cater to smaller cities of Gujarat such as Bhavnagar, Amreli, Vadodara, Ahmedabad and Rajkot, and then places like Jamnagar, Bhuj and Palanpur. Subsequently, services would be extended outside Gujarat.

The new company recently acquired Ventura AirConnect (Ahmedabad) and will use the airline's Air Operator's Certificate (AOC) as well as its pair of nine-seater Cessna (single turboprop) Grand Caravan 208Bs, as well as one smaller four seater aircraft which will be used for chartered service or as an air-ambulance in emergencies. The smaller aircraft is equipped with high tech instruments including night vision landing and take off technology.

The idea for a service of this nature was reportedly first floated by Govindbhai Dholakia a few years ago.

Earlier this month the Airport Authority of India (AAI) listed Surat among the 29 non-metro airports which will be taken up for modernization as part of a programme to encourage domestic and global airlines to begin operations there.