UDAN completes 10 years as ₹28840-crore next phase targets regional connectivity
The scheme has operationalised 687 routes and carried 1.72 crore passengers. Its next phase focuses on airport development, airline viability and a portal for states to nominate airstrips and helipads.
Clockwise from top left: Purnea, Tezu, Kishangarh and Deoghar airports. AI-assisted montage based on images supplied in the PIB release.
NEW DELHI: India’s regional air connectivity scheme UDAN completes 10 years on October 21, with its next phase focused on infrastructure expansion and sustainable operations.
A PIB backgrounder issued on October 20 said the scheme had operationalised 687 routes and 95 aerodromes, including 17 heliports and two water aerodromes. More than 3.68 lakh flights have carried 1.72 crore passengers.
Launched in 2016, UDAN uses capped fares, concessions and viability gap funding to support regional services. Such funding disbursed totalled ₹5,091.23 crore as of October 15, 2026.
Modified UDAN, launched on July 4, has an outlay of ₹28,840 crore for 2026–27 to 2035–36. Plans include developing 100 airports from unserved airstrips and 200 modern helipads.
A Challenge Mode Portal enables states and Union Territories to nominate airstrips and helipads for development.
The next phase provides ₹10,043 crore for airline viability support, with funding available for up to five years and tapering from the third year. It also supports indigenous aircraft capacity.
