Maharashtra is likely to get eight new water aerodromes by the end of the year 2025 as Maharashtra Airport Development Company (MADC) has filed a proposal with the country’s civil aviation ministry and the airports authority. Multiple seaplane manufacturers as well as operators have also shared their plans with the state company to be a part of the project which is said to open new transportation and tourism avenues in the state.
In 2014, operations on a seaplane route were started between Mumbai and the Pawna Lake near Lonavala, but were short-lived due to various reasons. However, the state is planning to revive its dreams of operating multiple seaplane routes. The Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) is planning to relaunch its seaplane tourism project as it identified six locations across the state as key spots to develop water aerodromes. In May, the company also floated tenders inviting domestic and international operators.
Recently, state-run MADC has filed a proposal with the ministry of civil aviation (MoCA) and airports authority of India (AAI) to develop water aerodromes at eight locations across the state. This includes Dhom Dam in Satara’s Wai, Gangapur Dam in Nashik, Khindsi Dam and Pench in Nagpur, Koradi Dam in Buldhana, Pawna Dam in Pune as well as Ganapatipule and Ratnagiri seafronts.
With 13 operational airports across the state, these aerodromes are expected to improve air connectivity to remote locations and also benefit the state’s economy through seaplane tourism. A senior official from MADC told The Free Press Journal, “We have already submitted the proposal to the ministry and AAI. With the positive approach of the ministry, we are expecting to start the operations by the end of the year.”
Notably, Maharashtra is set to establish its first dedicated heliport at Hadapsar Gliding Centre in Pune and also plans to develop 358 helipads across the state, with at least one in every taluka. These initiatives combined with the seaplane routes connecting various water bodies will facilitate a wide connectivity network through small aircraft.\
These routes are also expected to fetch benefits and operative subsidies from the union government’s small aircraft sub-scheme under the regional connectivity scheme, popularly known as UDAN. Additionally, the state also plans to provide more perks like reduction on value added tax to 1% on aviation turbine fuel for 10 years, free land and 100% share towards viability gap funding from the centre.
Sources claim that the union ministry is planning to launch seaplanes at 80 locations across the country, starting from the end of the year. Multiple industry players, including seaplane manufacturers and seaplane operators, have already approached the government with their plans and equipments, expressing their interest to operate on these routes.
De Havilland Aircraft of Canada, an aircraft manufacturing company known for its large fleet deputed for seaplane operations in Maldives, also performed demo flights across the country earlier this year. These flights were operated from the eastern coast of the country to the western coast, including Maharashtra, through southern India. “We had successful flights across the country to demonstrate the potential of seaplanes. We are hopeful that the operations might start by the year-end,” said Yogesh Garg, the company’s regional vice president of Asia Pacific and Middle East.
