325 routes awarded under RCS-2; 40% for NE & hill states
24 Jan 2018 10:39 PM IST
New Delhi: The government on Wednesday awarded 325 routes to airlines as well as helicopter operators under its regional connectivity scheme (RCS) with an emphasis on enhancing flight services to hilly and remote areas, including Kargil.
A total of 56 new airports and helipads are being connected to 36 existing ones.
The routes have been awarded to 15 airlines and helicopter operators after the bidding process for second round of RCS, also known as UDAN (Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik), which aims to take flying to the masses.
These include major domestic players such as SpiceJet (20 routes), IndiGo (20), Jet Airways and Air India subsidiary Alliance Air.
The government provides viability gap funding or subsidy for 50 per cent of the seats set aside for being offered at discounted rates by airlines and all seats up to 13 passenger seats for helicopters.
Of the total 56 new airports and helipads, the latter account for 31, i.e., nearly 70 per cent.
With the emphasis strongly on enhancing connectivity to remote and hilly terrain in the northeast and hill states, 40 per cent of the total routes awarded on Wednesday at 129.
The government has aimed to connect 41 airports and helipads in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Manipur and Uttarakhand.
"Since independence we had 75 airports in connected by scheduled airlines. UDAN 1 and 2 have added around 80 airports in the country. UDAN 2 has also addressed the problem of (poor air connectivity) to difficult areas," Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju said at a media briefing.
Next Story
