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India’s Regional Connectivity Scheme (UDAN): Taking Aviation to the Last Mile

UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik) is connecting remote and regional India through affordable flights, seaplanes, helipads, and more.

Pratik Kamble

29 Aug 2025 — 2 min read

(UDAN): Taking Aviation to the Last Mile

1. Purpose & Concept

Launched in October 2016 under India’s National Civil Aviation Policy, UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik) aims to democratize air travel for common citizens, especially in underserved and hard to reach regions. The goal: enhance connectivity to Tier-2 and Tier-3 towns via a market-driven model supported by Viability Gap Funding (VGF).

2. Phases & Evolution

UDAN 1.0 (2017): 128 routes across 70 airports including unserved and underserved ones.
Progression through 5.x: Introduced heliports, seaplanes, and prioritized remote areas.
Budget 2025 expansion: Roadmap to connect 120 new destinations, support 4 crore more passengers in the next 10 years-including helipads and smaller airports in aspirational and hilly regions.

3. Current Achievements

625 routes connecting 90+ airports, including 15 heliports and 2 water aerodromes.
Over 1.49 crore passengers have benefited.
Airport infrastructure has more than doubled, from 74 (2014) to 159 (2024) operational airports.
Scheme extended for 10 more years, targeting 350–400 airports by 2047.

4. Innovations & Inclusivity

UDAN Yatri Cafes at select airports offering affordable meals.
Seaplane operations initiated via UDAN 5.5 to utilize 50+ water bodies.
Krishi UDAN supports agricultural logistics from remote areas.
Lifeline UDAN used during COVID-19 to deliver medical supplies.

5. State-Level Impact

Bihar signed an MoU in June 2025 to establish six new airports (e.g., Muzaffarpur, Munger, Saharsa) with ₹150 crore allocation, catered via UDAN.
Maharashtra offered outright VGF of ₹3,240/seat for Solapur-Pune-Mumbai routes ahead of UDAN rollout.
Odisha converted Malkangiri Airport (Jan 2024) under UDAN. However, some airstrips like Tusura await airline interest for route operations.

6. Challenges & Opportunities

Maintaining financial sustainability remains critical amid VGF dependence and fluctuating demand.
Carrying out infrastructure upgrades, like runway extensions and ATC setups, remains a hurdle.
Urban airports like Pune have seen UDAN routes dwindle, calling for operational rejuvenation.

7. Conclusion: UDAN’s Air-Frontier Vision

From restricted skies to inclusive wings, the UDAN scheme is gradually unlocking aerial access for every Indian. With renewed targets under Budget 2025, improved infrastructure, and innovative models like Krishi UDAN and seaplanes, the scheme is flying high, reaching places where roads can't.