405 routes now operational under UDAN scheme

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has awarded 948 routes, of which, 405 routes including 65 airports with eight heliports as well as two water aerodromes have been operationalised as of 9th March 2022 under Ude Deshka Aam Nagrik (UDAN) Scheme. The Ministry of Civil Aviation launched a Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) named Ude Deshka Aam Nagrik (UDAN) for stimulation of regional air connectivity and making air travel affordable to the public. UDAN is a scheme that is market-driven. An airport that needs to be upgraded or developed for commencement of RCS operations, gets developed under the scheme of ‘Revival of un-served and underserved airports’. Alongside Viability Gap Funding (VGF) several other concessions are extended from the central and state governments to selected airline operators (SAOs) for encouraging operations from unviable airports and keeping airfare affordable. The implementing agency of AAI has identified 154 RCS airports comprising 14 water aerodromes along 36 helipads under the UDAN for RCS flights operations. Image SourceAlso read: Kothagudem airport not listed in UDAN scheme document