Seaplane Ambition on the Ganga Faces Pushback Over Threat to Endangered Wildlife and Sacred Waters
In the shadow of the Himalayas, where the Ganga flows past the pilgrimage town of Rishikesh, a sleek 19-seater seaplane touched down on the river’s surface earlier this month. The successful trial on 6 April by SkyHop Aviation, using a modified De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter, marked a step towards India’s first commercial seaplane service. Proponents see it as a clever solution to connect remote hill destinations where building airports is impractical, potentially boosting tourism in Uttarakhand and easing access for pilgrims and visitors alike. Yet just days later, the plan has run into determined opposition from environmentalists who…