Parliament Question: Air connectivity and airport development in Punjab

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CIVIL AVIATION RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. : 1802 TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 9th March 2026 AIR CONNECTIVITY AND AIRPORT DEVELOPMENT IN PUNJAB 1802. DR. SANDEEP KUMAR PATHAK Will the Minister of CIVIL AVIATION be pleased to state:- (a) the special steps taken with regard to air connectivity, the number of flights, and fares in a border and industrial State like Punjab, whether any special plan has been proposed to increase the number of domestic and international flights from Amritsar, Chandigarh, Ludhiana, Bathinda, and Pathankot airports, if so, the details thereof; and (b) whether there is any proposal to connect Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities of the State of Punjab under the UDAN scheme, if so, the details of the projects approved, amount allocated during the last three years along with the future plan of action thereof? ANSWER Minister of State in the Ministry of CIVIL AVIATION (Shri Murlidhar Mohol) (a) & (b): With the repeal of the Air Corporations Act in March 1994, Indian domestic aviation was deregulated. Airlines are free to induct capacity with any aircraft type and to select the markets and networks they wish to serve and operate. Hence, it is up to the airline operators to consider the introduction or expansion of air services to/from any airport in the country, depending upon their operational and commercial viability.. Under the Regional Connectivity Scheme - Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik (RCS-UDAN) scheme, four airports in the State of Punjab namely Ludhiana, Bathinda, Pathankot and Adampur have been identified for development and operationalisation of RCS flights. These airports have been developed under the UDAN Scheme at a cost of Rs 12.80 crore (Ludhiana), Rs 3.04 crore (Bathinda), Rs 5.18 crore (Pathankot) and Rs 125.60 crore (Adampur). All four airports have been operationalised under the Scheme. ******