Are Keralas seaplane ambitions set for takeoff?

For a state blessed with an extensive shoreline and a plethora of water bodies such as lakes, rivers and backwaters, operating seaplane services would be beneficial in boosting Keralas tourism prospects and aiding in its mission to become an aviation hub in the country. Though various proposals were mooted over the years, nothing concrete materialised until very recently. In 2024, a seaplane conducted a trial flight from the Kochi backwaters to Mattupetty dam near Munnar under the UDAN (Ude Desh ka aam Naagrik) scheme. Now, in yet another significant development, it has come to light that the state will be getting its first-ever seaplane service from Kochi to Lakshadweep. Ahead of the Kerala Aviation Summit this weekend, TNIE takes a look at the seaplane tourism possibilities in spots such as Kochi and Kovalam. A top official with the Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL) says, The project will be managed by the Union government. We hear that it is likely to be implemented before the end of the year. Under the project, a 22-seater plane will be operated by Spice Shuttle, a subsidiary of SpiceJet, from Kochi to Lakshadweep. As per sources, the service is designed for the general public and tourists. A trip from Kochi to Lakshadweep is expected to cost `12,000. Tickets at a subsidised rate of `2,000 to `4,000 would be provided under the UDAN scheme, says the official. It is understood that SpiceJet has been given approval by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to operate in this sector. A similar model of the proposed Kochi-Lakshadweep seaplane, manufactured by De Havilland Canada, had been used to conduct the trial flight from Kochi to Mattupetty on November 11, 2024. According to a top tourism official, the much hyped seaplane project, which got wings after more than 10 years since it was first proposed way back in 2013 by the then Oommen Chandy government, is still on. It has not been shelved. The state government has received more than seven proposals from various interested parties to conduct the service. However, we have been told to draw up an operational policy framework by the DGCA to get the green signal to start the tendering processes, says the official. Several more routes have been proposed, such as Kochi-Wayanad and Kochi-Idukki. The other places that are being considered for the future expansion of the project are Kovalam, Ashtamudi Lake, Kumarakom, Idukki Dam, Punnamada, Malampuzha Dam, Banasura Sagar Dam, and Bekal. Though Kovalam is in the list, how the project would be planned remains to be seen, says Ajai Kumar K S, a tour leader and travel writer under the tourism Ministry. Kovalams inclusion is no surprise, but landing a seaplane here could be an issue as waterbodies like Veli or Akkulam lakes are not wide enough. That said, Neyyar dam is a possibility, he says. In 2022, KSEB had mooted an ambitious project that would have seen it operating seaplane and/or helicopter services between its dams and reservoirs. But nothing materialised. The seaplane project has its share of opposition too, as environmentalists have raised concerns that it could cause significant ecological disruption in environmentally sensitive areas.