Parliament Question: Discontinuation of Routes under UDAN

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CIVIL AVIATION LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. : 802 ( TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 23rd July 2026 ) DISCONTINUATION OF ROUTES UNDER UDAN 802. SHRI PUSHPENDRA SAROJ ADV. PRIYA SAROJ Will the Minister of CIVIL AVIATION be pleased to state:- (a) the number of routes under the UDAN Scheme on which airline operators discontinued services before completion of their contractual obligations, State- wise, particularly for Uttar Pradesh; (b) the number of cases in which penalties were imposed, bank guarantees were invoked or financial incentives were recovered from defaulting airline operators; (c) the number of airports and routes affected due to such discontinuation of services, Statewise, particularly for Uttar Pradesh; (d) the findings of the Government's assessment regarding the impact of such discontinuation on regional connectivity, passenger traffic and accessibility; and (e) the measures taken to ensure continuity of services, strengthen enforcement of contractual obligations and prevent recurrence of premature withdrawal of UDAN operations? ANSWER Minister of State in the Ministry of CIVIL AVIATION (Shri Murlidhar Mohol) (a) to (c) Under the UDAN scheme, 32 routes for Uttar Pradesh were discontinued before completion of their 3-year VGF support tenure and are non-operational. 6 airports in Uttar Pradesh have become non-operational due to discontinuation of these routes. The above discontinued routes may be considered under the next phase of UDAN, with State Governments encouraged to identify and prioritize them for award based on regional connectivity needs, development objectives, and demand potential. There are 14 cases in which penalties were imposed by forfeiture of Bank Guarantees against short performance during 2024-25 and 2025-26.(d) The underlying premise of UDAN scheme is to establish connectivity to unserved and underserved airports and regions. The scheme has facilitated the development of airports, many of which have evolved to provide alternate flight and route options, thereby not losing out on connectivity. (e)To ensure continuity of services under the UDAN Scheme, State Governments have been entrusted with identifying and prioritising high-potential aerodromes, while airlines are required to submit business plans before route awards. The Implementing Agency also publishes a list of ready or likely-to-be-ready aerodromes to facilitate timely operationalisation. Additionally, discontinued eligible routes are re-bid in subsequent rounds and the Scheme permits route novation after award, allowing operational rights to be transferred to another eligible airline to maintain uninterrupted regional connectivity. The next phase of the UDAN scheme strengthens the sustainability of routes through longer-duration VGF support with a tapered mechanism to allow sufficient time for route maturation. Airport sustainability concerns are being addressed by provision of dedicated O&M support for aerodromes. ******