Centre adds Delhi, Mumbai and Surat as new routes proposed for seaplane services

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The Union Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways on January 4 announced that on the lines of the Sabarmati riverfront in Gujarat, it has begun the process of initiating Seaplane services on select routes, including Delhi, Mumbai, and Surat. The services will soon begin at the Yamuna riverfront in Delhi.

The Ministry will start the operations through potential airline operators under a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) framework. The services will be implemented and executed through Sagarmala Development Company Ltd (SDCL), the Ministry statement said.

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"The proposed Origin-Destination pairs under Hub and Spoke model include various islands of Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshadweep, Guwahati Riverfront & Umranso Reservoir in Assam, Yamuna Riverfront / Delhi (as Hub) to Ayodhaya, Tehri, Srinagar(Uttrakhand), Chandigarh and many other tourist places of Punjab & HP; Mumbai (as Hub) to Shirdi, Lonavala, Ganpatipule; Surat (as Hub) to Dwarka, Mandvi & Kandla; Khindsi Dam, Nagpur & Erai Dam, Chandrapur (in Maharashtra) and/or any other Hub & Spoke suggested by the Operator," the Shipping Ministry statement said.

Earlier on October 31, 2020, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated Seaplane Service between Kevadia and Sabarmati Riverfront in Ahmedabad.

Meanwhile, Sagarmala Development Company Limited (SDCL), which will form a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) is exploring plans to leverage the potential of the vast coastline and numerous water bodies/rivers across India by commencing seaplane operations.

"Sea Plane will utilise the nearby water bodies for take-off and landing and thus connect those places in a much economical way as conventional airport infrastructure like a runway and terminal buildings are not required for seaplane operations," the statement added.

Apart from providing air connectivity to various remote religious/tourist places, the seaplane service will boost tourism for domestic and international holidaymakers. Along with this, the government said that the seaplane services will add to the infrastructural enhancements at the places of operations.

"By providing air connectivity to numerous remote, religious/tourist places and unexplored locations near the water bodies will make the journey easier. It will generate employment opportunities and stimulate tourism in these new locations, which will consequently contribute to the country’s GDP in the long run," Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Mansukh Mandaviya said.

Earlier on January 3, reports surfaced that the Ministry of Shipping and Waterways has issued an Expression of Interest (EoI) seeking responses for projects under Sagarmala Seaplane Services (SSPS). The EoI is aimed at “gauging companies’ interest in the project.

Currently, only one seaplane service is operational in India between the Sabarmati riverfront in Ahmedabad and the Statue of Unity in Kevadia. The service is being operated by SpiceJet subsidiary Spice Shuttle.