Govt Eyes Major Connectivity Push in Himachal with 11 New Aviation Sites Under UDAN.

The government recently informed the Rajya Sabha that two airports and nine helipads in Himachal Pradesh have been identified for operating flights under the UDAN scheme, aimed at improving air connectivity to remote and underserved regions.

The Regional Connectivity Scheme–Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik (RCS-UDAN), launched in 2016, seeks to enhance regional air connectivity through a demand-based bidding mechanism that provides incentives to airlines to operate services on unserved and underserved routes.

Replying to supplementary questions during Question Hour, Union Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu said the UDAN scheme has transformed India’s civil aviation landscape by extending connectivity to regional and remote areas. He noted that while airports have been established in several tier-II and tier-III cities, ensuring regular air connectivity had remained a challenge, which the scheme aims to address.