Lakshadweep to Get India's First Commercial Seaplane Service

Lakshadweep is set to be connected with the mainland through India's first dedicated commercial seaplane service. The service received approval from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the country's civil aviation regulator.

The project plans to link five islands of the Lakshadweep group with the mainland. A seaplane can take off from and land on water, which makes it useful for remote islands that do not have large airports. The service is planned using a modified Twin Otter aircraft.

The initiative is supported by government schemes such as UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik), which aims to make air travel affordable, and Viability Gap Funding, which helps make projects financially workable. Together these are meant to keep fares affordable.

For aspirants, the key facts are the location (Lakshadweep), the regulator that gave approval (DGCA), and the supporting scheme (UDAN). The service is expected to boost tourism and improve connectivity for the island territory.