The Indian government has approved a ₹28,840 crore plan to develop 100 airports and 200 helipads under the Modified UDAN scheme. The scheme aims to enhance regional connectivity, promote affordable air travel, and support economic growth in tier-2 and tier-3 cities.
Under the scheme, the government will develop 100 airports from existing unserved airstrips, with a total outlay of ₹12,159 crore over the next eight years. The government will also develop 200 modern helipads at ₹15 crore each to address connectivity issues in hilly regions.
The scheme proposes to provide operations and maintenance (O&M) support for three years, capped at ₹3.06 crore per annum per airport and ₹0.90 crore per annum per heliport/water aerodrome. The government has also proposed to provide viability gap funding (VGF) support to airline operators, amounting to ₹10,043 crore over 10 years.
The Modified UDAN Scheme aims to connect 120 new destinations and cater to 4 crore passengers over the next 10 years. The scheme is expected to boost economic growth, trade, and tourism in tier-2 and tier-3 cities, and support affordable air travel for common citizens.
