Udan

Nearly 50% of UDAN routes no longer operational while govt begins 2nd phase

Commercial flights continue on only 336 of 669 routes launched under the regional connectivity scheme since 2017, with airlines citing airport readiness, funding and access to metro hubs as challenges

PM Modi inaugurates Jodhpur airport terminal, launches modified UDAN scheme

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday inaugurated the new terminal building at Jodhpur airport and launched the modified UDAN Scheme. Modi arrived in Jodhpur and was received at the airport by Governor Haribhau Bagade, Union Minister and Jodhpur MP Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, and Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma. The prime minister unveiled the inauguration plaque by pressing a remote button and toured the new terminal building. He also launched the Modified UDAN Scheme. With an allocation of Rs 28,840 crore over the next 10 years, the scheme aims to accelerate the next phase of aviation-led development. The revamped scheme focuses on multiple strategic components to ensure comprehensive and sustainable air connectivity. The new terminal building at Jodhpur airport has been developed at a total cost of Rs 480 crore. Spread over more than 23,000 square metres, it is designed to handle up to 20 lakh passengers annually. The terminal is equipped with modern passenger amenities to pr

Cabinet clears ₹28,840 cr modified UDAN scheme for regional connectivity

Under the revamped plan, the government will develop 100 new airports and 200 helipads, with a focus on hilly regions, the Northeast, island territories and aspirational districts

IATA summit: PM Modi bats for India as global aviation, manufacturing hub

Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlights India's aviation growth at the IATA AGM, noting the country is now the third largest domestic market with 162 airports and strong global industry presence

Budget 2025: Airlines see growth, accessible travel in modified UDAN scheme

Airlines on Saturday welcomed the proposal to modify UDAN scheme to provide regional air connectivity to 120 new destinations, saying the move will make air travel more accessible as well as help boost overall economic growth. Presenting the Union Budget for 2025-26, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik) has enabled 1.5 crore middle-class people to meet their aspirations for speedier travel. SpiceJet Chairman and Managing Director Ajay Singh said the budget is forward-looking and middle class-friendly and aims to boost spending and stimulate development. "With the launch of a modified UDAN scheme that will introduce 120 new destinations and bring 4 crore additional passengers into the fold over the next decade, the aviation landscape in India is set for a transformative shift. This initiative will not only make air travel more accessible to remote regions but will also drive economic growth and tourism, further empowering local economies," he said i

Budget 2025: Civil aviation gets Rs 2,400 cr, UDAN funds cut to Rs 540 cr

The budgetary allocation for the civil aviation ministry has been cut by nearly 10 per cent to Rs 2,400.31 crore for the next financial year, with the regional air connectivity scheme UDAN set to get a lower amount of Rs 540 crore. The allocation in the Union Budget 2025-26, presented by the Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in Parliament on Saturday, is less compared to Rs 2,658.68 crore in the revised 2024-25 Budget. Out of the total allocation for the next fiscal starting from April 1, 2025, UDAN will get Rs 540 crore, which is 32 per cent lower compared to Rs 800 crore in the year-ago period. Interestingly, Sitharaman has announced that UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik) scheme will be modified to connect 120 new destinations. As per the budget papers, the allocation for the DGCA and BCAS have increased marginally to Rs 330 crore and Rs 95 crore, respectively, for 2025-26. For the Customs Cost Recovery (CCR) charges to Airport Authority of India (AAI) and AAI Cargo Logistics and

Shah hails 8 years of UDAN, lauds affordable air travel, connectivity

He added that Prime Minister Modi has unlocked India's growth potential by providing the right facilities

Govt to extend air connectivity scheme UDAN scheme for 10 more years: Naidu

The government will extend the regional air connectivity scheme UDAN for 10 more years, Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu said on Monday. UDAN has led to the birth and growth of regional airlines, generation of jobs and contribution to tourism, the minister said at a function in the national capital to mark eight years of the scheme. As many as 601 routes and 71 airports have been operationalised under the regional air connectivity scheme. UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik) is aimed at enhancing regional air connectivity and making flying more affordable. It was introduced on October 21, 2016 for 10 years. The minister said the scheme will be extended for another 10 years. Civil Aviation Secretary Vumlunmang Vualnam said the ministry is looking at the financial viability aspects and streamlining of the procedures under the scheme. "A total of 86 aerodromes -- comprising 71 airports, 13 heliports, and 2 water aerodromes -- have been operationalised, facilitating the travel of ov

601 routes, 71 airports operationalised under UDAN: Civil aviation ministry

The civil aviation ministry on Sunday said as many as 601 routes and 71 airports have been operationalised under the regional air connectivity scheme UDAN, which was introduced eight years ago. UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik) is aimed at enhancing regional air connectivity and making flying more affordable. In a release, the ministry said 601 routes, including helicopter routes, have been operationalised, and that around 28 per cent of these routes serve the remotest locations. "A total of 86 aerodromes -- comprising 71 airports, 13 heliports, and 2 water aerodromes -- have been operationalised, facilitating the travel of over 1.44 crore passengers across more than 2.8 lakh flights," it added. Meanwhile, the number of operational airports in the country has doubled from 74 in 2014 to 157 in 2024 and the aim is to increase the count to 350-400 by 2047. The UDAN scheme was introduced on October 21, 2016.

Udaan's CFO Aditya Pande quits to join IndiGo parent as group CEO

Pande will report to Rahul Bhatia, CEO, InterGlobe, and all the existing direct reports would, in turn, report to Pande

Is the Udan scheme viable? NITI Aayog to evaluate, and identify gaps

The Udan programme aims to connect over 100 unserved and underserved airports, heliports, and water aerodromes across India with over 1000 RCS routes by 2024

Baghel writes to Scindia seeking inclusion of Bilaspur in UDAN scheme

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Sunday wrote a letter to Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, requesting him to include Bilaspur city from the state in the Centre's UDAN-5.0 scheme so that it will have regular flight services to connect with other places. The CM said regular air service from Bilaspur is necessary as it is the second important city in Chhattisgarh, from where the high court functions. "We have received information that the Union Aviation Ministry has not included Bilaspur in the UDAN-5.0 scheme. People of Bilaspur region are disappointed with this decision of the Union government," Baghel said in the letter. The civil aviation ministry has launched the fifth stage of the Regional Connectivity Scheme - Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik (UDAN) - to further enhance the connectivity to remote and regional areas of the country and achieve last mile connectivity. Talking to reporters after the conclusion of Congress party workers' regional summit here, t

100 airports to be developed by 2024 under UDAN infra scheme: V K Singh

AAI and other Airport Operators have targeted a capital outlay of approximately Rs 98,000 crore in the airport sector across India by 2025 for the construction of Greenfield Airports and new terminals

Union Budget gives larger wings to regional connectivity scheme UDAN

'Fifty additional airports, heliports, water aerodromes and advanced landing grounds will be revived for improving regional air connectivity'

Budget 'progressive'; ticks all boxes, powers India's growth drive: Scindia

The Union Budget is "progressive" and ticks all the boxes and powers the country's growth drive, Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said on Wednesday. In a series of tweets, Scindia said the Budget is rightly focused on consumption and investment stimulus, and more money in the hands of the growing middle class. On Wednesday, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Budget for 2023-24, which is also the last full-fledged budget of the current government before the general elections next year. Among other announcements, Sitharaman said the capital investment outlay is being increased steeply for the third year in a row by 33 per cent to Rs 10 lakh crore, which would be in 2023-24. "#AmritKaalBudget strikes a fine balance b/w uplifting women,youth, Kisan & the middle class, unleashing of animal spirits of MSMEs, and fiscal consolidation. A "progressive" budget that ticks all the boxes & powers India's growth drive. A budget for all! @nsitharaman," Scindia ...

UDAN is giving birth to regional airlines, says Jyotiraditya Scindia

The government's regional air connectivity scheme, which has created a landmark, is giving birth to regional carriers in a country that in the last 20 years has seen closing down of airlines, Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said on Tuesday. After virtually flagging off regional airline IndiaOne Air's flight from Jamshedpur to Kolkata, Scindia said it will also be the first scheduled commercial air service from Jamshedpur, which earlier was limited to non-scheduled operations. The UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik) scheme is "giving birth to new airlines in a country that over the last 20 years has only seen closing of airlines. With this scheme alone, regional airlines like StarAir, IndiaOne Air, FlyBig have been born. New records of aviation will be established," Scindia told PTI here. According to the minister, UDAN, the regional air connectivity scheme, has created a new landmark transporting almost close to 1.15 crore people in the last six years. With the flight servi

Industry expects Budget to provide thrust to UDAN, help more airports

The govt has set a target to operationalize 1,000 UDAN routes during the currency of the scheme and to revive and develop 100 unserved and underserved airports, heliports, water aerodromes by 2024

People from smaller cities flying high on UDAN; more routes to be added

Since its implementation, the scheme has been able to provide air connectivity to Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities at affordable airfares and has transformed the way people travel

Over 215,000 UDAN flights operated under regional connectivity scheme

A total of 453 routes have commenced, operationalising 70 airports, including two water aerodromes and nine heliports, under the government's regional connectivity scheme

Udan levy on airlines to double from Jan due to inflation, route expansion

The official added that a 20 per cent contribution from state governments to the regional connectivity fund had been factored in while proposing the hike