During the Assembly session in February 2024, the state government admitted that despite floating a tender in May 2023, no agency showed interest in restarting the Ahmedabad-Statue of Unity route.Responding to Congress MLAs during Question Hour, Civil Aviation Minister Balvantsinh Rajput revealed that the government had already spent Rs 17.5 crore on the defunct service as of December 2023. Operational for just 80 days, the seaplane carried around 2,100 passengers before shutting down.Despite the failed tender process, Civil Aviation Minister Balvantsinh Rajput assured the Assembly that similar services are planned for four destinations – Statue of Unity, Sabarmati Riverfront, Dharoi Dam in North Gujarat, and Shetrunjay Dam in Saurashtra.However, despite the promise, the project remains grounded, with no service launched yet.With the seaplane project sinking early, the central government is now eyeing air taxis as India’s next big leap in urban mobility.These battery-powered e-VTOL (electric vertical take-off and landing) aircraft promise a futuristic transport solution, mirroring models in developed nations. Among the four trial sites selected across the country, Ahmedabad and Mandvi (Kutch) in Gujarat will serve as key testing grounds, alongside two locations in Andhra Pradesh.Gujarat is set to lead the way, becoming the first state in India to host this ambitious air taxi experiment.
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