**Summary:**
This document summarizes the Indian Ministry of Civil Aviation's response to questions regarding seaplane initiatives under the UDAN (Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik) scheme, disruptions to UDAN routes, and measures to mitigate flight cancellations.
**Seaplane Initiatives:** Under UDAN 3.0, 30 seaplane routes connecting identified water aerodromes have been awarded through various bidding rounds. The document does not specify the number of seaplane routes expected to be operational by 2026.
**Discontinued UDAN Routes:** A total of 129 RCS (Regional Connectivity Scheme) routes have been discontinued before their 3-year tenure due to factors including the COVID-19 pandemic, aircraft grounding related to supply chain issues, airline shutdowns, and low passenger demand.
**Addressing Discontinued Routes:** Of the 129 discontinued routes, 24 are now commercially operated outside the UDAN scheme without Viability Gap Funding (VGF) or concessions, and 28 are operational under the scheme, having been re-awarded in later bidding rounds. 39 routes do not meet rebidding criteria because both connecting airports are already served. Routes that could not commence or continue are offered for rebidding in subsequent UDAN rounds.
**Mitigating Flight Cancellations:** The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has issued Civil Aviation Requirement (CAR) Section 3, Series M, Part IV, which outlines facilities to be provided to passengers by airlines in cases of denied boarding, flight cancellations, and delays. The Airports Authority of India (AAI) is implementing technologies like Special Visual Flight Rules, Instrument Flight Rules, and Required Navigation Performance procedures at airports to reduce cancellations caused by low visibility during poor weather conditions.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Civil Aviation: The Indian government ministry responsible for the formulation and administration of policies and programs relating to civil aviation.
UDAN: Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik (UDAN) is a Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) to make air travel affordable and improve connectivity to underserved airports.
SHRI RAO RAJENDRA SINGH: A member of Lok Sabha who raised question about seaplane initiatives under UDAN scheme.
Shri Murlidhar Mohol: Minister of State in the Ministry of Civil Aviation.
RCS-UDAN 3.0: Regional Connectivity Scheme Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik 3.0, a scheme to promote air connectivity and make air travel affordable.
COVID19: The Coronavirus Disease 2019 pandemic, which caused disruptions to UDAN routes and airline operations.
DGCA: Directorate General of Civil Aviation, the regulatory body for civil aviation in India.
AAI: Airports Authority of India, responsible for creating, upgrading, maintaining and managing civil aviation infrastructure in India.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF CIVIL AVIATION
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. : 3160
th
(To be answered on the 7 August 2025)
SEAPLANE INITIATIVES UNDER UDAN
3160. SHRI RAO RAJENDRA SINGH
Will the Minister of CIVIL AVIATION
be pleased to state:-
(a) the details of seaplane routes identified under the UDAN scheme along
with the number of such routes likely to become operational by 2026;
(b) whether the Government is aware that 114 UDAN routes have been
discontinued due to disruptions caused by COVID-19 and airline shutdowns;
(c) if so, the details thereof along with the steps taken to address the issue; and
(d) the steps being taken to mitigate the impact of poor weather conditions
and operational constraints on UDAN flight cancellations?
ANSWER
Minister of State in the Ministry of CIVIL AVIATION
(Shri Murlidhar Mohol)
(a): Ministry of Civil Aviation introduced seaplane operations from water
aerodromes under the Regional Connectivity Scheme - Ude Desh Ka Aam
Nagrik 3.0 (RCS-UDAN 3.0). During various rounds of bidding, 30 valid
seaplane routes have been awarded, connecting identified water aerodromes.
(b) & (c): As of now, 129 RCS routes have been discontinued before the 3-year
tenure till date due to various reasons such as COVID-19 pandemic,
grounding of many aircraft due to supply chain issues, shutting down of
airlines and low passenger demand on some routes.
Of these, 24 routes are currently being operated commercially outside the
UDAN scheme, without any Viability Gap Funding (VGF) or concessions and
28 routes are operational under the scheme, having been awarded to other
airlines in later bidding rounds. Additionally, 39 routes do not meet the
criteria for re-bidding under RCS provisions, as both connecting airports are
already served reflecting the sustained efforts and progress made under the
scheme in operationalizing multiple routes from airports developed under
RCS. The routes which were once awarded but could not commence orcontinue, are offered for re-bidding under subsequent UDAN Rounds.
(d): In the event of flight cancellations, including UDAN Flights, DGCA has
issued Civil Aviation Requirement (CAR) Section 3, Series M, Part IV titled
as "Facilities to be provided to passengers by airlines due to denied boarding,
cancellation of flights and delays in flights".
Further, to reduce cancellations due to low visibility in poor weather
conditions, AAI is increasingly adopting technologies like Special Visual
Flight Rules, Instrument Flight Rules and Required Navigation Performance
procedures at airports.
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