Seaplane Operations in India: Govt Completes Feasibility Studies

New Delhi, Sep 25 (PTI) The government has completed techno-economic feasibility studies of various locations, including Lakshadweep, for seaplane operations, and efforts are being made to set up jetty facilities for these planes, according to a senior official.

Highlighting the major accomplishments of the Ministry for Ports, Shipping and Waterways in the first 100 days of the third term of the NDA government, MoPSW Secretary TK Ramachandran said that basically the shipping ministry is looking at providing the jetty facilities for handling the land side of sea for seaplane operations.

"We have done a techno-economic feasibility study across several locations, including in Andaman, Lakshadweep, West Bengal and some other places.

"These reports have given us some clues on how to proceed further," Ramachandran said.

Last month, Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu said the government plans to extend the regional air connectivity scheme by another ten years and provide viability gap funding for seaplane operations.

"So, along with the Civil Aviation Ministry, we are working towards reality making that a reality," Ramachandran said.

The seaplane operations are being promoted under the regional air connectivity scheme UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik).

Apart from tourism, seaplanes can also be valuable for research, environmental monitoring, coastal resource management, and coastal and island defence, among other areas.

On December 12, 2017, Prime Minister Narendra Modi travelled in India's first seaplane from the Sabarmati River to Dharoi Dam in Mehsana district in Gujarat.

Budget carrier SpiceJet conducted the seaplane trials at the Girgaum Chowpatty off the Mumbai coast on December 9, 2017.

The US, Canada and Japan already have rules for the operation of seaplanes.