New Delhi, 25th July 2022:

Ministry of Civil Aviation has introduced seaplane operations from water aerodromes under Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS)-UDAN (UdeDeshkaAamNagrik). Airports Authority of India (AAI), the implementing agency has awarded 14 Water Aerodromes under UDAN across the country, namely, (a) SardarSarovar Dam (Statue of Unity), Sabarmati Riverfront in Ahmedabad (b) Swaraj Dweep (Havelock Island), Shaheed Dweep (Neill Island), Long Island, Port Blair in Andaman & Nicobar Islands, (c) Guwahati riverfront and Umrangso Reservoir in Assam (d) NagarjunaSagar Dam in Telangana (e) Prakasam Barrage in Andhra Pradesh and (f) Minicoy, Kavaratti, Agatti in Lakshadweep Islands. Out of these Water Aerodromes, SardarSarovar Dam (Statue of Unity) and Sabarmati Riverfront, Ahmedabad have been operationalized on 31.10.2020. The airline operating the seaplanes comply with the extant provisions of Civil Aviation Requirement (CAR)/guidelines for safety norms. However, due to COVID-19 pandemic, the seaplane operations which commenced on 31.10.2020 were suspended.

Airports Authority of India (AAI), the Implementing Agency has informed that Rs. 287 crore have been sanctioned for 14 Water Aerodromes and an expenditure of Rs 18.73 crore has been incurred so far. State-wise details of Water aerodromes awarded under UDAN and status thereof are attached as Annexure.

A total of 115 RCS helicopter routes have been awarded under RCS-UDAN scheme out of which 36 routes have been operationalized. As per provisions in the UDAN scheme, helicopter operations are permissible only in priority areas viz. Jammu & Kashmir, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, North Eastern Region states, Andaman Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep. Further, M/s Pawan Hans Limited (PHL) has been awarded 70 routes by AAI under RCS UDAN out of which the following are operationalized based on the availability of infrastructure and other necessary arrangements:

1. Chandigarh-Shimla-Chandigarh

2. Shimla-Rampur-Shimla

3. Shimla-Mandi-Shimla

4. Mandi-Dharmshala-Mandi

5. Mandi-Kullu-Mandi

6. Dehradun-New Tehri-Dehradun

7. New Tehri-Srinagar-New Tehri

8. Srinagar-Gauchar-Srinagar

9. Dehradun-Srinagar-Dehradun

10. Dehradun-Gauchar-Dehradun

11. Haldwani-Haridwar-Haldwani

12. Pantnagar-Pithoragahr-Pantnagar

28 sea plane routes connecting 14 water aerodromes and 115 RCS helicopter routes have been awarded.

No airline has submitted any bid from Visakhapatnam cruise terminal for UDAN seaplane and helicopter operations so far. UDAN is an ongoing scheme where bidding rounds are conducted periodically for covering more destinations/stations and routes and in case, any airline submit any bid for routes in future rounds of bidding, the same may be considered as per provisions of the Scheme document.

( Information was given by the Minister of State in the Ministry of Civil Aviation (Gen. (Dr) V. K. Singh (Retd) in a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha.