Nagpur: A survey to finalise seaplane routes originating from Khindsi lake is underway, with Nagpur set to emerge as the national hub of the seaplane ecosystem — housing aircraft, training facilities and maintenance operations for an amphibious aviation network.Minister of state Ashish Jaiswal confirmed to TOI the scheme to operate seaplane routes in and around Khindsi lake is at an advanced stage. “Govt has already cleared it under Udaan scheme and trials are complete. Now, surveys are going on with teams scouting locations on boats in Khindsi. It won’t be long before you can land directly at Khindsi lake and check into a houseboat,” said Jaiswal in an exclusive chat with TOI.The houseboats will have seven rooms with the first such boat to be procured from an Indian firm, but later specialised houseboats will be imported.Jaiswal said, “The seaplanes will revolutionise air traffic in Vidarbha and bring more tourists to this place. We are following up the issue with various authorities and things are moving ahead in a positive way.”Mumbai-based entrepreneur Siddharth Verma, who is bringing the seaplane project to Khindsi, said Nagpur’s central location makes it the natural choice for anchoring the national ecosystem. “Nagpur will become the national hub for the seaplane ecosystem. Planes will be kept here, training and maintenance will be done from here because it is a centrally located place,” Verma said. He added the company already operates similar services across Konkan, Mumbai and Nashik, and there’s a strong demand in Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. “The seaplane service can be started within six months if all approvals are secured,” Verma said.The proposed service would run under the Centre’s UDAN (Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik) scheme, with heavily subsidised fares aimed at improving regional connectivity. Jaiswal said the govt would provide a subsidy of Rs 3,000 per passenger, bringing ticket prices down to as low as Rs 2,000. The proposed route from Khindsi would connect passengers to Amravati, Shegaon and Mumbai, with a halt in Marathwada.A key advantage of amphibious aircraft is their ability to operate without conventional airport infrastructure. “The seaplane can take off from Khindsi and take you to Amravati, Shegaon to Mumbai. Most importantly, it does not need an airport to land as it can land on a water body and dams, being an amphibian aircraft,” Jaiswal said. He recalled that an initial seaplane trial was conducted at Khindsi in 2014. “The planes we will bring initially are nine-seaters, but soon 19-seaters will be pressed into service,” said Verma.Regulatory approvals from Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and other authorities remain pending before services can commence.
