In a written reply in Rajya Sabha on Tuesday, Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW) Sarbananda Sonowal stated that the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with MoPSW for the development of seaplane services.
According to an official press release from the Ministry, UDAN seaplane service between Ahmedabad’s Sabarmati River Front and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s Statue of Unity in Kevadia, Gujarat, will begin on October 31, 2020, as part of the Regional Connectivity Scheme. However, due to operational reasons, the selected Airline Operator terminated it on April 11, 2021.
As per the ministry’s official release, MoS Home stated, “The seaplane service between the Sabarmati River Front and the Statue of Unity began on October 31, 2020, as part of the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS)-UDAN (Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik). Later, due to operational reasons, the selected Airline Operator (SAO) terminated the service on April 11, 2021.”
According to the press release, “The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) has raised the issue with the relevant stakeholders in order to make seaplane operations viable. MoCA has also signed an agreement with MoPSW to develop seaplane services.” According to the release, the following water aerodromes have been identified in several states under the UDAN Scheme:
- Sardar Sarovar Dam (Statue of Unity) in Gujarat
- Sabarmati River Front, Ahmadabad, Gujarat
- Shatrunjay Dam in Gujarat
- Swaraj Dweep in Andaman & Nicobar Islands
- Havelock Island in Andaman & Nicobar Islands
- Shaheed Dweep (Neil Island) in Andaman & Nicobar Islands
- Guwahati riverfront in Assam
- Umrangso Reservoir in Assam
- Nagarjuna Sagar Dam in Telangana
- Prakasam Barrange in Andhra Pradesh
- Minicoy in Lakshadweep Islands
- Kavaratti in Lakshdweep Islands
- Portblair in Andaman & Nicobar Islands
- Agatti in Lakshadweep Islands
SpiceJet operated the seaplane, which was registered as M/s Spicejet Technic. The aerial distance between Ahmedabad and Kevadia is approximately 200 kilometres, and the 19-seater seaplane took approximately 45 minutes to complete the journey. The seaplane could carry more than 12 passengers.
Dr Rajiv Kumar Gupta, Additional Chief Secretary (Forest & Environment Dept), had previously described the seaplane facility as a “major leap” in making Kevadia “truly an international tourist spot” in a tweet on October 25 last year. He penned, “Kevadia’s seaplane takes off from Male, Maldives.
Regular seaplane service, four times per day, will connect two great and visionary projects given to the nation by the Hon’ble Prime Minister — the Sabarmati River Front and the #StatueOfUnity. Kevadia has taken a giant step toward becoming a truly international tourist destination.”