Seaplanes: Float Or Flop?

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India Is Betting On Seaplanes Again — Will It Take Off This Time?

What? 

Last week, the Maharashtra government announced that it was reviving its seaplane tourism project. The Maharashtra Tourism Development Corp (MTDC) is on its way to run India’s first multi-route seaplane network. 

Having completed an internal feasibility study, MTDC released bids in April, inviting domestic and international operators to manage and operate seaplane services. Opened early May, the bids are under evaluation. 

The plans come after a decade-long hiatus. Its failed attempts in 2014 to fly a seaplane between Mumbai and Pavana Dam near Lonavala by partner Sahara and inability to operate seaplane routes from Juhu to Girgaum Chowpatty in Mumbai due to the lack of approvals for a jetty at Chowpatty put a stop to the project. 

This time around, operators are mandated to conduct feasibility studies before launching services.

Why? 

It wasn’t just Maharashtra that saw a failed attempt to launch seaplanes. 

When Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Sardar Patel statue in Kevadia on Sadhu Bet Island, taking off on a SpiceJet seaplane from Sabarmati Riverfront, the first seaplane tourist destination and route was introduced in 2020. 

After 186 flights, the Covid-19 pandemic broke out. The Rs 19.50 crore project sank under the pressure of high costs and lack of takers after Covid. 

This time around, the civil aviation ministry released specific guidelines for seaplanes late last year. This is the first serious attempt to advance a sector that has been slow to take off, but now its time seems to have arrived. 

What Next? 

Bureaucratic approvals persist as licensing of water aerodromes remains a hindrance. The operational framework is unclear, and more defined guidelines are needed for route approvals.  

But India could learn from neighbouring Maldives, which boasts the world’s largest seaplane fleet and perhaps most successful operations. 

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PODCAST

On Episode 585 of The Core Report, financial journalist Govindraj Ethiraj talks to Vinay Singh, Co-Founder and Partner at Fireside Ventures as well as Sheetal Sapale, VP Commercial at Pharmarack. 

• Markets slide down in search for fresh traction

• Gold prices are back up

• Britain has kissed and made up with the EU as it signs another trade deal

• Why sales of cardiac drugs are shooting up and the segments driving it

• How silver consumers are driving demand for new types of products and services

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