Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways

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4.SAGARMALA SEAPLANE SERVICES

• The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways is starting the ambitious Project of Sagarmala Seaplane Services (SSPS) with potential airline operators.
• A seaplane is a fixed-wing aeroplanedesigned for taking off and landing on water.

MECHANISM:

• The project is being initiated under a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) framework through prospective airline operators.
• SPV is a legal object formed for a specifically-defined singular purpose.

PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION:

• The project execution and implementation would be through SagarmalaDevelopment Company Ltd (SDCL), which is under the administrativecontrol of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways.
• Airline operators will be invited to form a SPV with SDCL.
• The routes may be operated under the government’s subsidisedudedeshkaaamnagrik (UDAN) scheme.

BENEFITS AND SIGNIFICANCE:

• The seaplanes services will be a game-changer providing a supplementarymeans of faster and comfortable transportation across the nation.
• Apart from providing air connectivity to various remote religious/tourist places, it will boost tourism for domestic and international holiday makers.
• It will save travel time and stimulate localized short distance travelling especially in the hilly regions or across the rivers/lakes etc.
• It will provide infrastructure enhancements at the places of operations.
• It will generate employment opportunities.

PREVIOUS PROJECT:

• One such Seaplane Service is already in operation between Kevadia and Sabarmati Riverfront in Ahmedabad which was inaugurated in October2020.

SAGARMALA PROGRAMME:

• The SagarmalaProgramme was approved by the Union Cabinet in 2015 which aims at holistic port infrastructure development along the 7,516-km long coastline through modernisation, mechanisation and computerisation.
• Under this port-led development framework, the government hopes to increase its cargo traffic three-fold.
• It also includes the establishment of rail/road linkages with the port terminals, thus providing last-mile connectivity to ports; development of linkages with new regions, enhanced multi-modal connectivity including rail, inland water, coastal and road services.

SOURCE: PIB