Letters: Be steady before flight

With reference to the editorial, “A flight of fancy” (October 25), the aims of the government’s new regional air connectivity scheme, Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik (UDAN), are laudable as it tries to provide affordable air connectivity to small towns that are not yet properly served by airlines. But there are several ifs and buts associated with this brainchild of the civil aviation ministry. Does the scheme befit such a fascinating name?

Jayant Sinha, the minister of state for aviation, seems too optimistic about the success of the scheme, foreseeing even the hawai chappal-wearing individuals would be able to fly under UDAN.

According to some reports, the government proposes to cover 50 per cent of seats under the maximum fare cap of ~2,500; the remaining seats would be offered at prevailing market prices. This fact was not made public when the government conceptualised its idea.

The government should do away with such self-defeating offers. The final cost of its effort to facilitate ease of doing business in India may be known only after the Regional Connectivity Scheme takes off. UDAN is likely prone to some legal battle that may be fought at the behest of the affected domestic airlines.

I hope the government does its homework well before rolling out the scheme. It should not be a flight of fancy alone.
               
S Kumar   New Delhi
Letters can be mailed, faxed or e-mailed to: 

The Editor, Business Standard

Nehru House, 4 Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg 

New Delhi 110 002 

Fax: (011) 23720201  ·  E-mail: letters@bsmail.in

All letters must have a postal address and telephone number