New Delhi: In a landmark move aimed at enhancing accessibility to air travel across India, the Centre has announced a 10-year extension of the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) – UDAN (Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik).
Civil Aviation Minister K. Rammohan Naidu marked the eighth anniversary of the scheme, highlighting its revolutionary impact on democratising air travel in India.
Naidu said on Monday, "We have done one event today, which is the eight years of successful completion of the UDAN scheme, which has been a revolutionary scheme in civil aviation and it came out from the thought process of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who wanted to democratise air travel."
He added, "We wanted more people to have access to air travel in India. And we took a step-by-step strategy, beginning with the construction of new airports across the country."
"This has resulted in practically doubling the airports, in addition to developing new airports and more infrastructure for air travel. We have also provided viability gap funds so that we can begin new routes for underserved and unserved airports. The remote areas of the country, particularly the Northeast and inland areas with minimal connection, have benefited the most from the UDAN Scheme over the past eight years," Naidu said.
"They are now well connected by air, not only to other major cities in the country but also to a variety of other countries. Over the last eight years, 601 UDAN roots have been established, and over one crore 44 lakhs passengers have gone through UDAN routes, with over 2.40 lakh UDAN flights taking off since its foundation," the Minister said.
Naidu also spoke about the recent hoax bomb calls on several flights saying, “From the Ministry, we have thought of some legislative action if it is required. We have come to the conclusion that there are two areas that we can explore, first is the Amendment in Aircraft Security Rules...one of the ideas that we want to propagate by changing these rules is that once we catch hold of the perpetrator who is behind this, we want to put them in the no-flying list. And second Suppression of Unlawful Acts Against Safety of Civil Aviation Act."
Launched under the National Civil Aviation Policy of 2016, the UDAN initiative has been designed to democratise air travel, making it more accessible to the common citizen, particularly in underserved and remote areas. The first UDAN flight connecting Shimla and Delhi was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in April 2017.
As of now, the UDAN initiative has successfully operationalised 601 routes, with an impressive 84 new routes set to commence in 2024. The scheme has facilitated the development of 86 new airports, including two water aerodromes and 13 heliports.
One of the notable stories from the UDAN initiative is Darbhanga Airport which was once overlooked but now serves as a vital hub, providing full commercial airline connectivity and increasing demand for international routes.
The UDAN scheme operates on a market-driven model, where airlines assess demand for specific routes and submit proposals during bidding rounds. The scheme incentivises airlines to connect underserved regions through various support mechanisms provided by the Central and State governments, including waivers on landing charges and reduced VAT on Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF).
Regional carriers such as Flybig, Star Air, and IndiaOne Air have emerged, contributing to a burgeoning ecosystem for regional air travel.
Initiatives like UDAN 3.0 have introduced tourism routes connecting several destinations in the Northeast, while UDAN 5.1 focuses on expanding helicopter services in hilly areas to stimulate local economies and enhance tourism. From Mundra in Gujarat to Tezu in Arunachal Pradesh, RCS-UDAN has connected 34 states and Union Territories, effectively operationalising 86 aerodromes, including 10 in the Northeast region. Airports like Darbhanga, Prayagraj, Hubli, and Kannur are becoming increasingly sustainable, serving both RCS and non-RCS commercial flights.
