6 Years of RCS- UDAN

Source: PIB
GS II: Important International institutions, agencies and fora- their structure, mandate

Overview

Why in the News?

Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) – UDAN (Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik), a government-backed initiative to improve infrastructure and connectivity in India, especially in remote and underserved regions, completes six years.

It is a vital component of India’s National Civil Aviation Policy (NCAP) 2016.
It was launched by the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) on October 21, 2016, with a 10-year vision.
The first RCS-UDAN flight was inaugurated on April 27, 2017, connecting Shimla to Delhi.
The scheme focuses on improving unserved air routes in underserved regions of the country and fulfilling the aspirations of the common citizens.
So far, RCS-UDAN has facilitated travel of more than 130 lakh passengers, demonstrating its success in enhancing air travel accessibility.

UDAN 1.0: 5 airlines companies were awarded 128 flight routes to 70 airports (including 36 newly made operational airports)
UDAN 2.0: 73 underserved and unserved airports were announced and for the first time, helipads were also connected.
UDAN 3.0: In coordination with the Ministry of Tourism, Tourism Routes were included. In addition to Seaplanes for connecting Water Aerodromes, several routes in the North-East Region came under the ambit of the scheme.
UDAN 4.0: Gave impetus to North-Eastern Regions, Hilly States, and Islands. The operation of helicopters and seaplanes incorporated.

UDAN 5.0 where the focus is on Category-2 (20-80 seats) and Category-3 (>80 seats) aircraft.
The cap of 600 km has been removed and there is no restriction on the distance between the origin and destination of the flight.
Airlines would now be required to commence operations within 4 months of the award of the route.
Prioritizes the routes that will connect the airports that are ready for operations or will be ready soon.
Bidding for UDAN 5.2 is underway to further enhance the connectivity to remote and regional areas in India.
UDAN 5.1 is dedicated to expanding helicopter services in hilly regions to stimulate tourism, hospitality, and local economic growth.

A prominent contributor to the growing and expansion tourism sector.
Successfully connected destinations such as Khajuraho, Deoghar, Amritsar, and Kishangarh (Ajmer), which have substantial relevance in religious tourism.
Northeast region’s tourism industry is experiencing a considerable upsurge due to the introduction of Pasighat, Ziro, Hollongi, and Tezu airports.

Four new & successful airlines have come up in the last 6 years.
The scheme has helped airline operators to start up and develop a sustainable business model.
Providing opportunities to small regional airlines FlyBig, Star Air, and IndiaOne Air to scale up their businesses

The scheme’s incremental expansion has generated an escalating demand for new aircraft.
Fleet, including Airbus 320/321, Boeing 737, ATR 42 and 72, DHC Q400 and Twin Otter, Embraer 145 and 175, and Tecnam P2006T, is actively serving on the RCS routes.

RCS-UDAN is connecting 30 States/ UTs across the length and breadth of the country.
75 airports have been operationalized under UDAN.
Eight airports have been operationalized in the Northeast region.

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