News Analysis India

Tag: UDAN scheme

  • First direct flight operations flagged off on Imphal – Shillong route under UDAN

    By ANI

    NEW DELHI: The first direct flight operations between Imphal (Manipur) and Shillong (Meghalaya) was flagged off on Tuesday under the Regional Connectivity Scheme — Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik (RCS-UDAN) of the Government of India.

    “The operationalization of this route fulfills the objectives of the Government of India to establish strong aerial connectivity in priority areas of NorthEast India,” said a press release by the Ministry of Civil Aviation.

    From now onwards, people can easily fly between the two cities by opting for a flight of just 60 mins from Imphal to Shillong and 75 mins from Shillong to Imphal. Earlier, the completion of the entire journey took more than a day to reach Shillong from Imphal or vice-versa, the press release further said.

    To date, 361 routes and 59 airports (including 5 heliports and 2 water aerodromes) have been operationalized under the UDAN scheme, added the press release.

    The aerial connectivity between the capital cities of Manipur and Meghalaya has been a long-awaited demand of the people of the region, it further said.

    Shillong is the second city to be connected with Imphal under the UDAN scheme. The airline M/s Indigo was awarded the Imphal-Shillong route during the UDAN 4 bidding process.

    The airlines are being provided Viability Gap Funding (VGF) under the UDAN scheme to keep the fares affordable & accessible for the common people, The airline will be operating four flights in a week and will deploy its 78-seater ATR 72 aircraft. Currently, 66 UDAN routes are operational by M/S Indigo airlines.

    The scheme is envisaged to establish strong aerial connectivity in all States and UT of the country which hitherto was not connected, laying the foundation of a new regional segment in India’s aviation market. (ANI)

  • Clamour for new airports and flights under UDAN scheme grows in Bihar

    Express News Service
    PATNA: Under the central government’s UDAN scheme, demand for new airports has started gaining momentum. Residents of remote districts like Purnia, Bhagalpur, West Champaram, Gopalganj and others have expressed their desired after the successful running of the newly operational Darbhanga Airport.

    According to the figures issued by the Airports Authority of India, Darbhanga saw a passenger traffic of over three lakh in the first fortnight of July this year since it became operational in last November.

    In Bihar, three airports are oprational in Patna, Darbhanga and Gaya but still the state deserves eight of these in its major cities like Bhagalpur, Purnia, Gopalganj, Saran, West Champaran, Begusarai , Muzaffarpur and Sitamarhi”, Siddhant Saran, a youth said, adding that air connectivity from across these districts will  also enhance the employment opportunities in and around the airports.

    Pankaj Kumar from Purnia said that the people are protesting here for an airport as this part of Seemanchal is far from Patna. “A huge number of people have to either go to Patna or Darbhanga airport in case of emergencies. There we deserve a new airport under the the UDAN scheme. PM Modi had assured the nation that even common people will fly in aeroplanes,” said Vinit Kumar, a youth who works in a Delhi factory.

    Ranjeet Kumar, another youngster who is employed in Gujarat, feels that those airports that are operational now need to be renovated with better flight connectivity.

    Dr Satyendra Kumar, a social researcher on human development at Patna, said that demand for new airports in Bihar is genuine considering the state’s industrial growth and expansion of other infrastructure. “In near future, Bihar is set to become a hub for industrial growth with more than 135 proposals worth Rs 71,289 crore received for various industrial units now. Not only this, districts, which are in need of airports still have high rate of migration of labourers but the people are affording to take flights since the last one decade,” he said.