India has till date operationalised 361 air routes under the regional connectivity scheme ‘Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik’ or RCS-Udan.
The scheme was launched in 2016. Under it, airlines are provided with a ‘Viability Gap Funding’ to keep fares affordable and accessible. “Till date, 361 routes and 59 airports (including 5 heliports and 2 water aerodromes) have been operationalised under the Udan scheme,” the Ministry of Civil Aviation said in a statement on Wednesday. “The scheme is envisaged to establish strong aerial connectivity in all States and UTs of the country which hitherto were not connected, laying the foundation of a new regional segment in India’s aviation market.” According to the ministry, on Tuesday, the first direct flight operations between Imphal (Manipur) and Shillong (Meghalaya) was flagged off under the RCS-UDAN. “The operationalisation of this route fulfills the objectives of the Government of India to establish strong aerial connectivity in priority areas of NorthEast India.”