Shillong, Nov 14: A demo of the seaplane was launched from the Umiam lake, Water Sports , on Thursday.
Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu, Chief Minister Conrad Sangma, Airport Authority of India (AAI) and state government officials among others were present.
De Havilland Aircraft of Canada supported by Spicejet carried out sorties carrying the dignitaries from Umiam lake.
The demo tour started on November 11 in India.
The trial was held in Andhra Pradesh , Kerala and the DHC-6 Series 400 Amphibian aircraft will explore Andaman & Nicobar Islands, various areas & water bodies across southern, western, and northeastern India.
It will take more time for the service to start as agreement has to be signed as per the regional connectivity scheme of UDAN.
The event was organised by the Transport Department, Government of Meghalaya in collaboration with the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Government of India.
The chief minister said that I the late 90s to the mid of 2000, as a budding entrepreneur, he had travelled to various parts of North Eastern region of India which is about a 20 hour journey by bus to state capitals particularly to Kohima, Imphal and other places to build up his business.
“I realised the gap of connectivity and challenges which I had faced then and when we came to the government in 2018, Aviation became a key component for upgradation and change.”
He further said,”With the introduction of the UDAN scheme in 2008 it became a major game changer in terms of connectivity for India and particularly for the state of Meghalaya and the North Eastern Region in general. The Prime Minister made it a point to connect the regional headquarters to other smaller states and we have seen this unprecedented change in the last eight years. Now we can travel in an hour’s time to the other northern state capitals by air and has seen a significant change and growth in trade and connectivity.”
The chief minister said he was informed that it takes 200 metres of water body and 5 metres of depth for seaplanes to land and take off. “With the terrain and landscape of Meghalaya this will be conducive as water bodies can be created as we recieve adequate rainfall,” he added and said it would be cost-effective as it would take around Rs 15 lakh to build a dam for landing rather than building a runway for an airportHe also informed that a reservoir in Tura to curb water scarcity is being built and this in the next few years would be in line for seaplanes to land as well.
Speaking about the challenges faced, the chief minister said “We have faced significant challenges for the Umroi airport and are pushing for the expansion of the runway for mid sized aircraft like the Airbus A320 to take off and land. We have been able to sustain connectivity to Delhi but want to expand that network. We are also keen to operationalise the Baljek Airport in Tura and I am sure with the support of the Aviation Ministry this would become a reality.”
Speaking about the impact of the seaplane demonstration, the chief minister said that the seaplane would be meaningless if it is not connected to a whole ecosystem which needs to be developed particularly Tourism, Trade and Commerce, Connectivity etc.
“I am aware that according to Skyscanner’s 2025 Travel Trends Report that Shillong is the top destination for Indian travelers in 2025 beating places like Baku and Azerbaijan.
“Meghalaya is preparing itself to be at the crest of this wave of change as we are awaiting the setting up of a 7 star hotel at this very place. This move would also be a symbiotic relationship for the seaplane demo today as it could open opportunities for tourism avenues to be explored. The stake holders play a key role in this regard as tourists are keen to visit multiple places in the northeast and this initiative plays a key role for this sector to grow”, he added.
Union Minister, Civil Aviation, Naidu said, “India has about 1300 islands, ample landable water bodies like rivers and lakes and a massive coastline which is a major reason for use of seaplanes and upscaling in this area for growth or many socio economic activities. I assure support for growth of Umiam Airport and other aviation requirements to the Government of Meghalaya in this regard. We have adapted the aviation guidelines for more flexibility for aviation to flourish in the country”.
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The event was also attended by Sniawbhalang Dhar, Deputy Chief Minister of Meghalaya, Damanbait Lamare, MLA, Umroi, Chief Secretary, DP Wahlang, Sanjay Goyal, Commissioner and Secretary, Department of Transport, representatives of De Havilland Aircraft of Canada Limited and other officials of the State and Central Government.
