UDAN turns 10: 687 routes, 1.72 crore flyers and a Rs 28,840 crore next phase
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UPSC has already asked about this. Read the story with these questions in mind.
The Regional Connectivity Scheme UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik) completes ten years on 21 October 2026. A PIB backgrounder says it has operationalised 687 routes and 95 aerodromes and carried 1.72 crore passengers. Its next phase, launched on 4 July 2026, runs from 2026-27 to 2035-36 with Rs 28,840 crore for 100 airports, 200 helipads and airline support.
- Launched
- 21 Oct 2016
- Routes
- 687
- Passengers
- 1.72 crore
- Next phase
- Rs 28,840 crore
UDAN at ten: what happened?
Before 2022, a pilgrim from Delhi to Baba Baidyanath Dham at Deoghar spent over 15 hours on the road or rail. Today it is a two-hour flight. Multiply that story across Tezu, Kishangarh and Purnea and you see what a decade of UDAN has done.
- PIB backgrounder (20 Oct 2026): 687 routes, 95 aerodromes (17 heliports, 2 water aerodromes), over 3.68 lakh flights.
- Operational airports rose from 74 in 2014 to 166; India is the third-largest domestic aviation market.
- Rs 5,091.23 crore of Viability Gap Funding (VGF) disbursed till 15 October 2026.
- North-East: 90 priority routes operational; 12 of 52 identified aerodromes running.
How does UDAN work?
- Born from the National Civil Aviation Policy, 2016; first flight Shimla–Delhi in April 2017.
- Airlines bid for routes; winners get VGF, airfare caps apply on part of the seats.
- Centre, States and airport operators give concessions to keep routes viable.
- Next phase adds a Challenge Mode portal for States to nominate airstrips and helipads; 21 MoUs signed with States, UTs and AAI.
What does the next phase fund?
| Component | Outlay |
|---|---|
| 100 airports from unserved airstrips (8 years) | Rs 12,159 crore |
| VGF for airlines (10 years) | Rs 10,043 crore |
| 200 modern helipads | Rs 3,661 crore |
| O&M support for about 441 aerodromes (3 years) | Rs 2,577 crore |
| HAL Dhruv and Dornier for Pawan Hans, Alliance Air | Rs 400 crore |
Which laws and policies apply?
- Union List Entry 29: airways, aircraft, air navigation and aerodromes.
- Bharatiya Vayuyan Adhiniyam, 2024, which replaced the Aircraft Act, 1934, for regulation and safety.
- Airports Authority of India Act, 1994: AAI develops and runs most regional airports.
- National Civil Aviation Policy, 2016: the policy base of the scheme.
What are the challenges?
- Many routes shut once VGF ends after three years.
- Small airports face weather, night-landing and runway limits.
- Few regional aircraft and pilots; fleet shortages hit small airlines.
- Low load factors on some routes make fares hard to keep low.
What should be done next?
- Use the tapering VGF (up to five years, tapering from year three) to build demand.
- Link routes with tourism, health and cargo, as at Tezu and Kishangarh.
- Promote Made in India aircraft such as the HAL Dornier.
- Let States pick sites through Challenge Mode based on real demand.
What can Prelims ask on UDAN?
- UDAN = Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik; launched 21 Oct 2016.
- First UDAN flight: Shimla–Delhi, April 2017.
- Airports: 74 (2014) to 166 now.
- Next phase: 2026-27 to 2035-36; Rs 28,840 crore.
- Route exclusivity: three years.
How to write about regional connectivity in Mains
Practice question (10 marks, 150 words): Ten years of UDAN show both the promise and the limits of subsidised regional aviation. Evaluate. (GS-III)
- Intro: launched 21 Oct 2016; 687 routes, 1.72 crore passengers.
- Gains: Deoghar, Tezu, Purnea, Kishangarh examples.
- Limits: route closures after VGF, fleet and airport gaps.
- Next phase: 100 airports, 200 helipads, tapering VGF.
- Conclusion: demand-led, State-partnered growth.
Image: Alliance Air ATR 72 at Surat airport. Rahul R Bhadane, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
How to use this in Mains
If asked: Discuss the role of air connectivity in regional development. (GS-III)
Quote: “Opening of Deoghar Airport drastically cut travel time from Delhi to just 2 hours.”
Use it: Use one such example in the body; then generalise to tourism, health and cargo.
If asked: Examine how cooperative federalism is built into infrastructure schemes. (GS-II)
Quote: “A total of 21 MoUs were signed between the Government, participating States and Union Territories, and the Airports Authority of India.”
Use it: Quote it with the Challenge Mode portal as a model of State-led site choice.
Exam angle
Prelims: UDAN dates, outlays, airport numbers. · Mains GS-III: regional connectivity and VGF design.
Practice MCQs
Original practice questions (not PYQs).
Consider the following statements about UDAN:
1. It was launched under the National Civil Aviation Policy, 2016.
2. The first UDAN flight was between Shimla and Delhi.
3. Its next phase runs till 2035-36.
How many of the statements given above are correct?
Answer (c) & explanation
All three are correct as per the PIB backgrounder of 20 October 2026.
Under the next phase of UDAN, route exclusivity for airlines is limited to
Answer (b) & explanation
VGF is available for up to five years, tapering from year three; route exclusivity is three years.
‘Airways, aircraft and air navigation’ is a subject in the
Answer (a) & explanation
It is Entry 29 of the Union List.
Questions students ask about this
When was UDAN launched?
On 21 October 2016.
What has it achieved?
687 routes, 95 aerodromes and 1.72 crore passengers.
What is new in the next phase?
Rs 28,840 crore for 100 airports, 200 helipads, O&M support and VGF over ten years.
What is VGF?
Viability Gap Funding: support to airlines so that regional routes with low demand can run at capped fares.
Keep studying
Go deeper
Official source: PIB Backgrounder, 20 Oct 2026: 10 Years of Redefining Regional Air Connectivity through UDAN
facts from cited sources only; faculty review pending