Connectivity scheme hailed
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By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Apr 2 : Imphal Airport Director Chipemmi Keishing has praised the Union Cabinet's approval of the Regional Connectivity Scheme – Modified UDAN, calling it a significant step toward making air travel more accessible, affordable, and inclusive for citizens across the country.
Speaking to the media, he said that the key features of the scheme include development of 100 airports across the country and 200 heliports across hilly States and Union Territories, Island Union Territories, the North Eastern region, and aspirational districts.
Chipemmi continued that the scheme intends to improve regional air connectivity through the development of new airports, heliports, and water aerodromes, enhance economic opportunities in remote areas, and ensure balanced and sustainable growth of the aviation sector across the country.
The scheme also includes adoption of a challenge mode for aerodrome development, under which States and Union Territories will nominate aerodromes for evaluation based on demand and readiness, enabling faster infrastructure development, he said.
Other features, according to him, include provision of three years of operations and maintenance support for aerodromes to address manpower costs and ensure operational sustainability, creation of a State-supported framework to ensure active participation and commitment from the States in the scheme.
Moreover, the Modified UDAN also introduces provision of affordable airfares for a greater number of seats on larger aircraft to improve connectivity for citizens from Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, extension of Viability Gap Funding support from three years to five years to enable routes to achieve commercial viability and support for aircraft acquisition under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative to promote the growth of the domestic aircraft manufacturing ecosystem.
IMPHAL, Apr 2 : Imphal Airport Director Chipemmi Keishing has praised the Union Cabinet's approval of the Regional Connectivity Scheme – Modified UDAN, calling it a significant step toward making air travel more accessible, affordable, and inclusive for citizens across the country.
Speaking to the media, he said that the key features of the scheme include development of 100 airports across the country and 200 heliports across hilly States and Union Territories, Island Union Territories, the North Eastern region, and aspirational districts.
Chipemmi continued that the scheme intends to improve regional air connectivity through the development of new airports, heliports, and water aerodromes, enhance economic opportunities in remote areas, and ensure balanced and sustainable growth of the aviation sector across the country.
The scheme also includes adoption of a challenge mode for aerodrome development, under which States and Union Territories will nominate aerodromes for evaluation based on demand and readiness, enabling faster infrastructure development, he said.
Other features, according to him, include provision of three years of operations and maintenance support for aerodromes to address manpower costs and ensure operational sustainability, creation of a State-supported framework to ensure active participation and commitment from the States in the scheme.
Moreover, the Modified UDAN also introduces provision of affordable airfares for a greater number of seats on larger aircraft to improve connectivity for citizens from Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, extension of Viability Gap Funding support from three years to five years to enable routes to achieve commercial viability and support for aircraft acquisition under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative to promote the growth of the domestic aircraft manufacturing ecosystem.