Functional routes under UDAN rise to 186
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12 routes under the Regional Connectivity Scheme (or UdeDesh ka AamNaagrik /UDAN) have recently become functional. This takes the total operational routes under UDAN to 186 (including 8 Tourism RCS routes) of the total 706 sanctioned Routes. Also, Durgapur airport is the 40th airport to become functional under the scheme. The 12 routes with daily flight operations that commenced are: Kolkata – Allahabad, Allahabad - Kolkata, Allahabad-Raipur, Raipur-Allahabad, Gwalior- Bangalore, Bangalore-Gwalior, Kolkata -Gwalior, Gwalior- Kolkata, Mumbai - Belgaum, Belgaum-Mumbai, Mumbai - Durgapur and Durgapur-Mumbai.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) launched Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) - UdeDesh ka AamNagrik (UDAN) on 21.10.2016 to stimulate regional air connectivity and making air travel affordable to the masses. Since then 3 (Three) Round of biddings have been completed. The first RCS-UDAN flight was launched by Hon’ble Prime Minister on 27th April, 2017 at Shimla. 106 RCS Airports/Water aerodromes (76 Unserved, 20 Underserved & 10 Waterdromes) and 31 heliports have been identified for commencement of RCS flight connecting small cities in India.
706 RCS routes including 46 Tourism RCS routes have been awarded to 19 selected airline operators under UDAN. RCS flights commenced from 40 RCS (23 Unserved & 17 Underserved) Airports and Durgapur is the latest airport on the map of RCS UDAN.