Government effort towards regional connectivity scheme is bearing fruits as bidding under UDAN has already seen as many as 20 registrations from operators.
“The bidding under UDAN has started and already there have been 20 registrations from air operator permit holders,” Civil Aviation Secretary R N Choubey said.
“Pleasant surprise is awaiting us in December... When you find suddenly that dozens of smaller airports which have never seen an aircraft landing for Civil aviation purposes has now scheduled commercial flights,” he noted.
Chaubey was speaking at the inaugural of Delhi’s first ever Aero Expo India organised by industry body PHD Chamber.
Under UDAN, fares would be capped at Rs 2,500 for one-hour flights and viablity gap funding and host of other various incentives would be provided to the airline operators.
The Government, he said, is working on ways to increase capacity at airports to cater to rising demand as the domestic aviation sector has been growing at over 20 per cent for the past many months.
Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju said: “The Government is exploring all possibilities for capacity expansion of leading airports in the country and doing its best to make sure that the regional air connectivity is accomplished as per its UDAAN initiative.”
“Domestic civil aviation industry has been growing at a rate of more than 20 per cent in the last few years and higher passenger growth in civil aviation sector is still a challenge which could be won with addition of capacities in India’s leading airports,” he added.
Speaking on the occasion, Minister of State for Civil Aviation Minister Jayant Sinha said UDAN is off to a very strong start.
According to him Civil Aviation Ministry has been adopting three pronged strategy under its UDAAN commitment which includes expansion of airports capacities, ensure regional connectivity and equip the air passenger with better level of satisfaction and experience under its Air Sewa initiative.