Question : Air Routes Awarded under UDAN-II

a) whether the Ministry has launched Phase-II of the UDAN to provide regional air connectivity and if so, the number of air routes covered in the second phase;

(b) whether North-Eastern areas and Hill States have been covered in Phase-II of UDAN and if so, the number of new destinations to be covered under this scheme;

(c) whether helicopter services would be utilised to serve the remote areas in the hill States and if so, the various companies offering helicopter services under UDAN-II;

(d) whether 73 underserved and unserved airports and helipads would be connected under the phase-II and if so, the details thereof;

(e) whether the scheme would provide around 26.5 lakh seats per annum that would be covered with airfare cap of Rs.2500 per hour of flying and if so, the details thereof; and

(f) whether under phase 1 of the scheme, operations had started at 14 airports, while 12 others were ready with airlines making arrangements for acquisition of aircraft and to commence the flights, if so, the details thereof and the new airports/ helipads likely to be developed under the scheme, State/UT-wise including, timeframe for completion?

The Minister of State in the Ministry of CIVIL AVIATION
(Shri Jayant Sinha)

(a) to (c): Ministry has launched second round of bidding under Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS)-UDAN on 24 August, 2017. The list of routes / network (fixed-wing and helicopter operations) including the destinations in North Eastern areas and hilly States awarded in second round of bidding on 24.01.2018 is attached at Annexure-I.;

(d): The state wise details of under-served, un-served airports and heli pads identified under Phase-II is at Annexure-II.;

(e): The annual RCS seats (fixed-wing and helicopters) would be approximately 24.88 Lacs, ranging from an airfare RCS seat of Rs. 1,330 to Rs. 4,970.;

(f): In 1st Round of Bidding, 27 proposals of five airlines have been accepted to operate RCS flight from 43 RCS (12 underserved & 31 unserved) airports. Details regarding the status of commencement of flights is at Annexure-III.