Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways is to initiate Seaplane services on select routes through a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) involving airline operators and the implementation of the project will be carried out through Sagarmala Development Company Ltd (SDCL) according to a release.

Origin-destination pairs proposed

Several destinations are envisaged for seaplane operations. The proposed origin-destination pairs under hub-and-spoke model include various islands of Andaman & Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep, Guwahati Riverfront and Umranso Reservoir in Assam, Yamuna Riverfront / Delhi (as Hub) to Ayodhaya, Tehri, Srinagar (Uttarakhand), Chandigarh and other tourist places of Punjab and Himachal Pradesh; Mumbai (as Hub) to Shirdi, Lonavala, Ganpatipule; Surat (as Hub) to Dwarka, Mandvi and Kandla; Khindsi Dam, Nagpur and Erai Dam, Chandrapur (in Maharashtra) and/or any other hub and spoke suggested by the operator, it added.

One Seaplane Service is already in operation between Kevadia and Sabarmati Riverfront in Ahmedabad.

To run more such services in the coastal areas or proximity to water bodies, SDCL is keen to associate with the interested scheduled/non-scheduled airline operators.

SSPS thru SPV

 The joint development and operation of “Sagarmala Seaplane Services (SSPS)” will be undertaken by forming a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) with SDCL, added the release.

The Government promotes seaplanes as they add strength to their goal of harnessing waterways for country’s progress; additionally, they may prove very effective tools for developing tourism in the region. Pleasure and prosperity go together in the use of seaplanes.