From Vijayawada to Araku: Andhra plans seaplane connectivity to 10 spots

The Andhra Pradesh government has received approval from the Centre to begin developing seaplane services across 10 locations in the state, marking a major push towards tourism under the Centre’s UDAN scheme.

Officials familiar with the development said the proposed network will include aerodromes at Vijayawada, Srisailam, Visakhapatnam, Araku, Lambasingi, Kakinada, Rajahmundry, Tirupati, Suryalanka and Dindi.

Under the regional connectivity scheme, the Centre has sanctioned financial assistance of around Rs 20 crore for the project.

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“No major works were carried out on the seaplane project in the past year. Now that the Centre has decided to extend financial support under the UDAN scheme, the state government will begin the tendering process and construction of aerodromes to make the seaplane project a reality by 2027,” said Nancharaiah.

First proposed route

According to officials, the Andhra Pradesh government plans to launch the first seaplane service between Prakasam Barrage in Vijayawada and Srisailam by January 2027, through a public-private partnership (PPP) model.

The initiative is expected to boost tourism, improve last-mile connectivity and create faster travel options to remote and religious destinations.

What are seaplanes?

Seaplanes are specialised fixed-wing aircraft designed to take off and land on water bodies such as lakes, rivers and seas instead of conventional runways.

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These aircraft either use floating pontoons or a boat-shaped hull that enables water-based operations, making them particularly useful in island territories, coastal belts and regions with difficult terrain where building airports may not be feasible.

The services are being promoted under the Centre’s UDAN Scheme, which aims to improve affordable air connectivity to underserved and remote areas.

India’s seaplane push

India has gradually been expanding seaplane connectivity in several tourism-focused regions.

Commercial seaplane operations are currently being rolled out in Lakshadweep through SkyHop Aviation using 19-seater aircraft to connect remote islands and improve tourism access. The project aims to connect five islands internally while also linking them with the Indian mainland.

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Meanwhile, Kerala is also preparing to launch seaplane tourism operations, while 13 water aerodromes have already been approved for the Andaman and Nicobar Islands under the UDAN-3 scheme.

In Gujarat, trial seaplane operations were previously conducted between the Sabarmati Riverfront in Ahmedabad and the Statue of Unity in Kevadia, although regular commercial services are currently not operational.