Bhubaneswar: Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu on Monday said that seaplane services could soon be extended to Odisha’s Chilika Lake and the entire eastern coast, opening up new avenues for regional connectivity and tourism.
Speaking at the Eastern Region Civil Aviation Ministers’ Conference in Bhubaneswar, the minister said that the Centre is planning to restart seaplane operations in the country by October.
“Seaplane operation was there once, but it was limited to a single route. The government has simplified the guidelines to operate seaplanes, and we hope that by October, we will have two seaplanes in the country operating either on the Andaman & Nicobar, Kerala, or Andhra Pradesh network,” he said.
Kinjarapu explained that services can be launched on any water body with more than five feet of depth and 200 metres of landing space. The norms for setting up a waterdrome, pilot training, and regulations governing seaplane operations have already been simplified, he added.
Encouraging airline operators to explore the opportunity, the minister stressed the “huge untapped potential” of seaplane services in India. He also urged states to come forward with innovative ideas and suggest new locations to expand the network.
Highlighting India’s growing demand for aviation professionals, Kinjarapu noted that with 1,700 aircraft currently on order, the country would require at least 3,000 new pilots every year. To meet this demand, he said, Flying Training Organisations (FTOs) must be developed to international standards. The Ministry, he added, will introduce a ranking system for FTOs from October this year to ensure quality training and global competitiveness.
