Paragliding in Kamshet, India is under threat from the development of powerlines near the base of Tower Hill, a key flying site in the region. Local pilots are planning a peaceful protest at the site on Sunday 17 May and Fly Nirvana’s Sanjay Rao is asking friends and supporters in the community to sign the petition to make their voices heard.
“The situation is grim,” he says. “If it happens it will end flying at Tower Hill, our only east-facing site and will be a disaster for the local economy.” A meeting with the team in charge of the project was due to take place on Friday but Sanjay was not optimistic. “It looks like the site will be affected,” he says.
Kamshet is a small town about 100km east of Mumbai. It’s a rural landscape dotted with lakes, sweeping hills and black cliffs. Paragliding was pioneered here in the 1990s by Sanjay and others and it’s now the training capital of India with several schools and a thriving tandem economy. Lots of pilots from Mumbai or Pune come here to learn.
The flying is smooth and easy, with afternoon winds picking up to offer hours of soaring. XC pilots can pick their way around the hills, or head off on an adventure.
The proposed development of a powerline near the base of Tower Hill, one of Fly Nirvana’s most critical flying areas in Kamshet, poses a significant risk to all who cherish the skies here, the petition states. “Paragliding is a sport that requires open, hazard-free airspace, and the presence of powerlines could have dire consequences for safety.
“Navigating around these obstacles increases the risk of accidents, not only endangering lives but also casting a shadow over the international reputation Kamshet has cultivated as a top paragliding destination.”
The site is a popular winter destination for European pilots who flock there to take advantage of good flying conditions from November through to March.
