Parliament Question: Flights from Jawaharlal Darda Airport

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CIVIL AVIATION LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. : 3346 ( TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 12th March 2026 ) FLIGHTS FROM JAWAHARLAL DARDA AIRPORT 3346. SHRI SANJAY UTTAMRAO DESHMUKH Will the Minister of CIVIL AVIATION be pleased to state:- (a) whether it is true that Jawaharlal Darda Airport at Yavatmal district in Maharashtra has remained in limited use for many years and no regular civil flights are operating from the said airport and if so, the reasons therefor; (b) whether it is also true that the said airport was leased to Reliance Airport Developers Limited in 2009 for a period of Ninety Five years and if so, the details thereof; (c) whether the Government is taking any steps to bring the airport back under Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) or Maharashtra Airport Development Company Limited (MADC) for full operation and if so, the details thereof; and (d) whether the Government has any plan to start civil flights from Yavatmal Airport at the earliest to benefit citizens of Vidarbha and Marathwada and if so, the details thereof? ANSWER Minister of State in the Ministry of CIVIL AVIATION (Shri Murlidhar Mohol) (a) to (c): Yavatmal Airport has no regular civil flights. Presently, this Airport is used for NSOP VFR operations. This airport was leased to Reliance Airport Developers Ltd in 2009 & was terminated in the year 2025. Government of Maharashtra has transferred these airports to Maharashtra Airport Development Company for further development & maintenance. (d): Yavatmal airstrip, Maharashtra is available in the tentative list of unserved airports in the Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik (UDAN) Document. No airline bidder has submitted proposals to operate RCS flights from Yavatmal airstrip till date. In case any airline submits a valid proposal for the operation of RCS flights connecting Yavatmal airstrip in future bidding rounds, the same can be considered as per the UDAN Scheme's provisions. ******