UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik) scheme was launched in 2017 to enhance regional air connectivity and make air travel accessible to all.
Need for Expanding Regional Air Connectivity in India
Bridging Regional Imbalances and connecting Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities. Boosts economic activity and market integration.
Enhancing Mobility for Remote Areas such as the Northeast, Himalayan states, and island regions
Boosting Tourism and Local Economies in places like Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Northeast India, and coastal regions.
Reducing Travel Time & improving convenience for business, medical, and administrative travel.
Air connectivity enhances ease of doing business by stimulating Trade and Investment
National Integration & Security- strengthen connectivity in strategic border regions
Employment generation at airlines, airports, air navigation sector
Environment benefit with “green airports” minimising carbon footprint. Eg- Kochi Airport
UDAN Scheme (Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik): Key Features
Objective- Make air travel affordable and accessible, especially in underserved and unserved airports.
Regional Connectivity Scheme provides viability gap funding (VGF) to airlines to operate flights on low-demand routes.
Revives/operationalises existing airstrips, heliports to reduce infrastructure barriers.
affordable.
Focus on Remote Areas in the Northeast, hill states, islands, tribal districts to ensure last-mile connectivity.
Encourages Public-Private Partnership (PPP) in regional airport infrastructure.
Achievements of the UDAN Scheme
India emerged as 3rd largest aviation market in the world
Expansion of Airports- Over 70+ airports, heliports, and water aerodromes have been operationalised
More than 1,000 UDAN routes have been awarded, connecting Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities to major metros.
Improved Connectivity in the Northeast & Himalayas – Routes like Shillong-Agartala, Pasighat-Guwahati, Kullu-Shimla
Enhanced Tourism & Local Economies in destinations such as Shirdi, Darbhanga, Jharsuguda, Kishangarh, and Hubballi
Growth of Regional Airlines due to VGF-supported routes. Eg- Star Air, TruJet
Operationalisation of Water Aerodromes in places like Sabarmati-Kevadia, creating new mobility options.
Faster air access in remote regions supports emergency evacuation and medical services. Eg- during Kerala Floods
Issues in Expanding Regional Air Connectivity / UDAN Implementation
Low Route Viability- Many Tier-2 and Tier-3 routes have low passenger demand
Smaller regional airlines (e.g., TruJet) have struggled due to high operational costs, fuel prices, and limited fleet capacity.
Several UDAN airports lack proper runways, night-landing facilities, ATC systems, firefighting equipment
Slow land acquisition, tendering, and regulatory clearances delay operationalisation
Volatility in Fuel Prices- ATF constitutes 35-40% of airline cost
Limited Last-Mile Connectivity as .any UDAN airports are far from city centres
Way Forward
Adopt flexible revenue-share + viability funding to ensure long-term route sustainability.
Fast-track DGCA clearances, land acquisition, environmental approvals
Leverage Technology – Integrate AI, ML, automation, digital ATC towers, and predictive maintenance
Boost Multimodal Integration- Ensure UDAN airports are linked to rail, buses, waterways
With improved PPP models and technology adoptionUDAN can act as a true catalyst for inclusive growth and balanced regional development.