Ujjain: Two scrap dealers from Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, have purchased the shell of a decommissioned Border Security Force (BSF) aircraft for Rs 40 lakh with plans to convert it into a 45-room luxury theme hotel.
The hotel will come up in the Shankarpur area of Ujjain. Their plan is to offer guests the feel of air travel while remaining firmly grounded. Virendra Kushwaha and Pushpendra Kushwaha have told IANS that they got the idea from a restaurant being operated inside a plane in Haryana.
Kushwaha’s hotel is likely to attract guests as less than 10% of India’s population have travelled by air.
Pushpendra has also said that their hotel would have a special theme dedicated to the Indian Armed Forces, taking inspiration from Operation Sindoor. The two enterprising businessmen hope to send out a positive message and inspire visitors to show greater respect for the military.
The aircraft, registered as VT-EAV Hawker Siddeley HS-748-2/224 (Avro)!aircraft. It was a medium-lift turboprop that the BSF used to ferry troops and equipment. It is not known when the aircraft was scrapped.
“We also drew inspiration from Operation Sindoor and aim to convey a positive message to the spectators and visitors. We want to increase the respect for the Army and hence we will take this forward in the same theme,” Kushwaha said.
A video of the interiors of the aircraft – not yet renovated – have gone viral on social media with several users praising the concept. Many shared images of similar airplane-themed hotels from other cities.
Recently, a businessman purchased the shell of a scrapped Air India aircraft from Kolkata and transported it by road to Punjab to build a restaurant.
