BENGALURU: Since its launch in 2017, flights have commenced on 500 routes under the government’s ambitious regional connectivity scheme (RCS), Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik (UDAN), according to the government sources.
Data available with the Airport Authority of India shows a total of 493 routes have seen flight services as of October 3, 2023. Recent additions, mostly in Southern India, in the fifth phase of the scheme, have pushed the milestone number to 500, the sources said.
A total of five rounds have taken place so far under which different routes have been awarded to different airlines. Maximum flights commenced in Round 3 (165 routes), followed by Round 2 (152 routes).
While launching the 5th round of the connectivity scheme earlier this year, civil aviation minister J Scindia had said this new and stronger version of the scheme would raise the momentum, connecting new routes and bring us closer to the target of operationalising 1,000 routes and 50 additional airports, heliports and water aerodromes in near future.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the scheme on April 27, 2017, by flagging off the regional flights between Delhi and Shimla, and also between Kadapa-Hyderabad-Nanded.
The scheme was launched to connect small and medium cities with big cities through air service at affordable prices.