The Centre has launched the next phase of its flagship UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik) scheme to enhance regional air connectivity, sources told businessline.
Accordingly, the UDAN 5.5 intends to promote last-mile connectivity in remote regions, hilly areas, and island territories.
Sources told businessline that the latest phase of the scheme will award routes that will be serviced exclusively with seaplanes, choppers, and small aircraft with a seating capacity of less than 20 passengers.
According to sources, the 5.5 version is offering operators a chance to chart out seaplane routes between 80 water bodies, which include waterdromes, ponds, and dams.
Prior to the scheme’s launch, several state governments, including Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Andhra Pradesh, had expressed interest in enhancing air connectivity through seaplanes.
Besides, around 400 helipads are also included in the scheme for operators to map out chopper routes.
Furthermore, the scheme allows the participation of operators of aircraft in categories such as ‘1A,’ which can seat less than nine passengers, and ‘1,’ which can ferry less than 20 passengers.
Earlier versions of the scheme have promoted the usage of specific equipment such as choppers and aircraft in category ‘2’ (20–80 seats) and category ‘3’ (more than 80 seats).
Notably, the scheme allows operators to plan routes between offered locations followed by a bidding process.
The scheme provides a VGF (viability gap funding) component to operators selected via a bidding process to operate flights on underserved or unserved routes.
“The bidding process is going on as of now. The new scheme has attracted players who want to start seaplane services across the Andaman and Nicobar island chain, among other potential routes,” sources told BusinessLine.
The latest UDAN version is expected to increase the number of seaplanes, choppers, and small aircraft in the country. At present, there are no seaplane services in India, while small aircraft in the A1 category number less than 20.
However, these types of flight services did exist in India, which also gained notable attention when Prime Minister Narendra Modi flew on a seaplane between the Sabarmati riverfront and the Statue of Unity in Gujarat during 2019-20.
The service, operated by SpiceJet, was eventually discontinued for commercial reasons and the impact of Covid-19.
Globally, seaplanes are used for connectivity in various island and tourist destinations, such as the Maldives, which, as per estimates, has around 200 such aircraft.
Seaplanes are manufactured by global companies like De Havilland Canada, Cessna, and a few others. Industry estimates forecast the creation of over 50 seaplane routes and the development of around 20-25 aerodromes over the next five years.
The forecast anticipates a requirement of around 30 aircraft in the next five years. The 10-year-duration scheme was launched in October 2016 as part of the National Civil Aviation Policy.
Since its inception, the scheme has facilitated the travel of around 1.5 crore passengers across more than 2.8 lakh flights. The scheme has operationalised 619 routes, including helicopter routes, while the number of operational airports in the country has doubled from 74 in 2014 to more than 157 in 2024.