Kerala has a long way to go in making seaplane services viable

A seaplane will be conducting a trial service from Kochi International Marina to Maattupetty Dam in Munnar on Monday. While the tourism sector is excited about the project, Kerala still has work to do to make it successful. The trial run aims to promote the project and determine its feasibility. The project is part of the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS)-UDAN. The government is exploring options to make the project economically viable, including partnering with private operators and hoteliers. Without government support, the project may not succeed initially. Private players need to be wooed, and the State must take the lead. Previous attempts at setting up waterdromes were unsuccessful due to community opposition.