The government has introduced the modified UDAN Scheme with an investment of Rs 28,840 crore to enhance air connectivity in regional areas. This initiative aims to construct 100 new airports and 200 modern helipads, marking a significant step in India’s aviation sector development. The earlier RCS-UDAN scheme, launched in 2016, played a crucial role in making air travel more affordable and accessible, leading to India becoming the third-largest domestic aviation market globally.
The modified UDAN scheme focuses on expanding airport infrastructure, enhancing operational support, and creating a conducive environment for airline operators in smaller markets. By addressing the needs of regions with challenging geographical conditions, including the provision of helipads and specialized aircraft, the scheme aims to improve access to essential services. With an allocated budget of Rs 12,159 crore, the scheme plans to develop 100 airports from existing unserved airstrips over the next eight years.
To ensure the sustainability of smaller aerodromes, the scheme offers structured Operation and Maintenance support for three years, with an estimated budget of Rs 2,577 crore. Additionally, the initiative proposes the development of 200 modern helipads in priority regions to bridge connectivity gaps, with each helipad costing around Rs 15 crore. The total outlay for this component is projected to be Rs 3,661 crore over eight years.
Under the modified UDAN framework, a total of Rs 10,043 crore has been earmarked for Viability Gap Funding (VGF) over a ten-year period to support airline operators and encourage route development in smaller markets. The scheme also emphasizes strengthening indigenous aviation capacity through the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative, with plans to provide HAL Dhruv helicopters for Pawan Hans and HAL Dornier aircraft for Alliance Air, supporting domestic manufacturing capabilities.
