(a) whether the Government proposes to construct new airports in the mountain districts of Uttarakhand including the other Himalayan States;
(b) whether there is any scheme to develop and promote new regional airlines in the country especially in the said districts of Uttarakhand;
(c) whether there is any scheme for the development and extension of air strips/airports in the mountain region of Uttarakhand; and
(d) if so, the details thereof including the total funds allocated therefor?
The Minister of State (IC) in the Ministry of CIVIL AVIATION
(Shri Hardeep Singh Puri)
(a) to (d): Ministry of Civil Aviation launched Regional Connectivity Scheme - UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik) on 21-10-2016 to stimulate regional air connectivity and making air travel affordable to the masses. UDAN is a market driven scheme. The interested airlines based on their assessment of demand on particular routes submit their proposals at the time of bidding under UDAN from time to time. An airport which is included in the awarded routes of Regional Connectivity Scheme - UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik) and requires upgradation/development for commencement of UDAN operations is developed under "Revival of unserved and underserved airports" scheme including Uttarakhand and other Himalayan states. Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved the proposal for revival of existing unserved / underserved airports / airstrips of the State Governments, Airports Authority of India, Public Sector Undertakings and Civil Enclaves at an estimated cost of Rs. 4500 Crore. Airports Authority of India, the implementing agency, has identified 55 Airports/ Heliports/ Water Aerodromes in the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, and in the States of Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Assam and West Bengal for operationalization of UDAN flights.