Seaplane to attract tourists

Vijayawada: Enhancing Andhra Pradesh's role in India's aviation sector by modernizing airport infrastructure, fostering aviation-related industries, and promoting public-private partnerships (PPP), the state government has taken the key initiative to introduce seaplanes which adds a new dimension to the aviation landscape of the state.

Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu will launch this project on Saturday at the Punnami Ghat on River Krishna. He will travel from here to Srisailam by seaplane as part of the demo flight. He will perform puja at Sri Mallikarjuna Swamy temple in Srisailam before returning to Vijayawada. He will be accompanied by Union Minister of Civil Aviation Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu.

Seaplane operations in Andhra Pradesh hold great potential due to its beautiful waterfronts and long coastline.

The Government of Andhra Pradesh has identified eight key locations for seaplane services, aiming to boost tourism and provide unique travel experiences which include Prakasam Barrage, Araku, Lambasingi, Rushikonda, Kakinada, Konaseema, Srisailam and Tirupati.

The main objective of the Regional Connectivity Scheme – (RCS) is to establish an integrated eco-system that will lead to significant growth of the civil aviation sector, which in turn would promote tourism, increase employment and lead to a balanced regional growth.

Water aerodromes are designated areas for seaplane operations that can be developed with fewer resources and within a shorter time frame than traditional airports. They are crucial for improving air connectivity in areas lacking runway-based airports.

The scheme offers subsidies for flights to underserved and unserved regions. Amidst overall worldwide growth of aviation industry, India is also witnessing tremendous growth in aircraft operations. Under RCS–UDAAN Scheme, AAI has proposed the development of Sea Plane Services across strategic locations having large water bodies, across the Country.

The seaplane operations will boost local tourism, create jobs. Efforts are underway to identify additional locations for water aerodromes in the state, ensuring that even remote areas benefit from the seaplane operations.