The Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) – UDAN (Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik), a government-backed initiative to improve infrastructure and connectivity in India, especially in remote and underserved regions, completes six years. It is a vital component of India's National Civil Aviation Policy (NCAP) 2016, launched by the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) on October 21, 2016, with a 10-year vision.
The first RCS-UDAN flight was inaugurated by the Hon’ble Prime Minister on April 27, 2017, connecting Shimla to Delhi. The scheme focuses on improving unserved air routes in underserved regions of the country and fulfilling the aspirations of the common citizens.
So far, RCS-UDAN has facilitated travel of more than 130 lakh passengers, demonstrating its success in enhancing air travel accessibility.
Over the period of 6 years, various versions of UDAN Scheme were launched, as follows:
UDAN 1.0: 5 airlines companies were awarded 128 flight routes to 70 airports (including 36 newly made operational airports)
UDAN 2.0: 73 underserved and unserved airports were announced and for the first time, helipads were also connected.
UDAN 3.0: In coordination with the Ministry of Tourism, Tourism Routes were included. In addition to Seaplanes for connecting Water Aerodromes, several routes in the North-East Region came under the ambit of the scheme.
UDAN 4.0: Gave impetus to North-Eastern Regions, Hilly States, and Islands. The operation of helicopters and seaplanes incorporated.
