Centre eyes seaplanes in UDAN 3

Centre eyes seaplanes in UDAN 3

News:

1. The Centre is inviting bids for connecting selected destinations under the regional connectivity scheme (RCS) leading to seaplanes operating commercial passenger flights in India.

Important Facts:

2. Opening the third round of the RCS, the Ministry of Civil Aviation has invited proposals for air routes that include tourist destinations with deadline for submitting applications is November 20.
3. Few airports which are deprived of regular connectivity due to default of few airlines have been added in the third round.
4. In the latest phase, the Centre is reoffering 34 airports that weren’t successfully connected, since the airlines were unable to operate routes they had bid for due to lack of funds.
5. The previous two rounds saw a total of 428 routes awarded to 17 airlines and helicopter operators.
6. Included among the 10 destinations that the government proposes to connect through seaplanes are the recently unveiled Statue of Unity at Sardar Sarovar Dam, Sabarmati Riverfront in Ahmedabad, Tehri Dam in Uttarakhand and Nagarjuna Sagar in Telangana.
7. The Centre has also offered 23 tourist destinations including Bodh Gaya, Agra, Kanha, Varanasi, Hampi, Mysore and Kullu.
8. Some destinations have been put on the block again as helicopter operations failed to take off.