**Executive Summary**
This document summarizes the state of routes under the UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik) scheme as of October 31, 2025. It provides details regarding awarded, operational, and discontinued routes, along with reasons for premature closures and the status of airport development under the scheme. The document also outlines government initiatives to improve the viability of UDAN routes. The information is based on a response to Unstarred Question No. 3211 to be answered on December 18, 2025.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Route Details:**
* A state-wise list of awarded, operationalized, and discontinued routes under the RCS-UDAN scheme is available in the Annexure.
* **Reasons for Route Discontinuation:**
* Key reasons for discontinuing routes before their 3-year tenure include:
* COVID-19 pandemic disruptions
* Aircraft shortages
* Supply chain issues
* Aircraft maintenance
* Airport/runway maintenance
* Low passenger demand
* **Airport Status:**
* Fourteen airports are currently non-operational under the UDAN scheme.
* Reasons for non-operation include:
* Completion of the 3-year concession period
* Poor visibility conditions
* Daytime runway restrictions at VFR-only airports
* Shortage of aircraft
* Leasing issues
* Temporary discontinuation by airlines
* Novation of routes
* Low passenger load factors
* **Government Initiatives:**
* To ensure uninterrupted flight operations:
* The government provides Viability Gap Funding (VGF) to airlines.
* The government supports upgrading regional airports.
* The government encourages operational flexibility.
* Routes discontinued in the past are rebid, awarded, and operationalized in subsequent rounds.
* Increased adoption of technologies like Special Visual Flight Rules and Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) standards at feasible airports have been taken.
**Impact Analysis**
**Airlines**
* **Impact:** Airlines providing regional connectivity are directly affected by route discontinuations, airport operational status, and government initiatives.
* **Action Required:** Airlines need to manage route operations considering the reasons for discontinuation, engage with government initiatives like VGF, and adapt to new technologies.
**Passengers**
* **Impact:** Passengers relying on regional connectivity are affected by route discontinuations and the operational status of airports.
* **Action Required:** Passengers should be aware of route availability and potential disruptions, and utilize alternative travel options if necessary.
**Airports**
* **Impact:** Airports are impacted by the operational status of UDAN routes, infrastructure upgrades, and the need to meet required standards.
* **Action Required:** Airports need to maintain operational readiness, upgrade facilities, and comply with regulatory requirements.
Key Entities Referenced
UDAN Scheme: A regional connectivity scheme to enhance aviation infrastructure and connectivity to remote areas.
Ministry of Civil Aviation: The Indian government ministry responsible for the formulation and administration of the rules, regulations and laws relating to civil aviation.
RCS-UDAN: Regional Connectivity Scheme - Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF CIVIL AVIATION
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. : 3211
(TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 18th December 2025)
ROUTES UNDER UDAN SCHEME
3211. DR. DHARAMVIRA GANDHI
Will the Minister of CIVIL AVIATION
be pleased to state:-
(a) the details of all regional connectivity routes awarded under the UDAN scheme till
31.10.2025, State/UT-wise;
(b) the details and operational status of all these regional connectivity routes under UDAN as
on 31.10.2025, State/UT-wise;
(c) the details of the number of UDAN routes closed prematurely since their commencement
along with the reasons for such closure, State/UT-wise;
(d) the number of airports developed under the said scheme that have no regular flights at
present; and
(e) the steps taken to address these gaps and improve the viability of the UDAN routes?
ANSWER
Minister of State in the Ministry of CIVIL AVIATION (Shri Murlidhar
Mohol)
(a) to (c): A state wise list of awarded, operationalised and discontinued routes under
Regional Connectivity Scheme - Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik (RCS-UDAN) is placed at
Annexure.
Key reasons for discontinuation of routes before 3-years tenure include disruption caused by
the COVID-19 pandemic, aircraft shortage, supply chain issues, aircraft maintenance,
airport/runway maintenance, low passenger demand on some routes, etc.
(d) & (e): As on date, fourteen Airports are non-operational under the UDAN Scheme due to
factors such as completion of the three-year concession period, poor visibility conditions,
daytime runway restrictions at VFR only airports, shortage of aircraft, leasing issues,
temporary discontinuation by airlines, novation of routes, and low passenger load factors.
In order to ensure uninterrupted flight operations on these routes, the government provides
viability gap funding (VGF) to airlines, supports the upgrading of regional airports, and
encourages operational flexibility.
Further, routes that were discontinued in the past rounds are also rebid, awarded and
operationalised in subsequent rounds. Moreover, steps such as increased adoption of
technologies like Special Visual Flight Rules and Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) standards at
feasible airports for all-weather operations have also been taken.
******ANNEXURE
Details of State-Wise Awarded, Operationalised and Discontinued Routes under RCS-
UDAN
State/UT No. of No. of No. of routes
Awarded Operationalised discontinued
Routes Routes before 3 years
1 Andaman & Nicobar 6 0
Island 0
2 Andhra Pradesh 19 18 3
3 Arunachal Pradesh 16 10 3
4 Assam 59 36 12
5 Bihar 12 10 3
6 Chandigarh 6 3 0
7 Chhattisgarh 14 13 2
8 Dadar & Nagar Haveli 11 5
and Daman & Diu 0
9 Delhi 22 19 2
10 Goa 11 7 0
11 Gujarat 57 44 9
12 Haryana 4 3 2
13 Himachal Pradesh 47 23 4
14 Jammu & Kashmir 4 2 1
15 Jharkhand 12 5 3
16 Karnataka 71 66 11
17 Kerala 15 12 0
18 Ladakh 0 0 0
19 Lakshadweep 18 1 0
20 Madhya Pradesh 28 27 4
21 Maharashtra 75 65 4
22 Manipur 24 13 1
23 Meghalaya 11 9 1
24 Mizoram 11 2 0
25 Nagaland 17 4 0
26 Odisha 23 18 3
27 Puducherry 1 1 0
28 Punjab 21 17 5
29 Rajasthan 37 31 7
30 Sikkim 6 3 1
31 Tamil Nadu 24 14 1
32 Telangana 30 29 2
33 Tripura 7 3 0
34 Uttar Pradesh 96 57 20
35 Uttarakhand 81 60 16
36 West Bengal 27 21 3