Question : Connecting Small Cities under UDAN Scheme

(a) whether metro cities of the country have been connected with the small cities through air services with the unique ''UDAN'' scheme of the Union Government;

(b) if so, the year-wise details of the metros and cities connected through this scheme since the inception of the scheme till date;

(c) whether the Government proposes to start regular air services from Kishangarh (Ajmer) airport to Mumbai, Benguluru, Chennai, Kolkata, Lucknow, Guwahati, Amritsar etc.;

(d) if so, the time by which it is likely to be done and details thereof;

(e) whether the Government proposes to start operation of large aircrafts and cargo planes on Kishangarh airport by strengthening and increasing the length of existing runway from present 6500 feet to 9000 feet keeping in view the availability of adequate land; and

(f) if so, the time by which it is likely to be done and the details in this regard?

The Minister of State (IC) in the Ministry of CIVIL AVIATION
(Shri Hardeep Singh Puri)

(a) & (b):A total of 27 Networks in first round of bidding, 90 Networks in second round of bidding and 95 Networks in third round of bidding were awarded under Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) - UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik) involving 706 RCS routes connecting small cities of the country. Out of these,186 RCS routes have been commenced connecting 40 RCS airports.List of the 186 routes commenced is at Annexure-A. ;
;

(c) & (d): RCS - UDAN is market driven mechanism. Development of regional air connectivity routes is left to market forces such that airlines undertake assessment of demand and nature of supply required on particular routes and lead the process under RCS - UDAN. The interested airlines based on their assessment of demand on particular routes submit proposals at the time of bidding under RCS - UDAN from time to time. Under RCS-UDAN, no airline bidder submitted bid to start operation from Kishangarh connecting to Mumbai, Benguluru, Chennai, Kolkata, Guwahati and Amritsar. ;
;

(e) & (f): With the repeal of the Air Corporation Act in March 1994, the Indian domestic aviation was deregulated. Airlines are free to induct capacity with any aircraft type, free to select whatever markets and network they wish to service and operate. Government has,however, laid down Route Dispersal Guidelines (RDG) with a view to achieve better air transport services to different regions of the country. It is, therefore, up to the airlines to provide air services to specific places depending upon the traffic demand and commercial viability. As such, the airlines are free to operate anywhere in the country subject to compliance with RDG issued by Government.