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IRCTC and Pawan Hans Partner to Boost Heli-Tourism Across India

Newsmantra — Thu, 16 Jul 2026 08:02:20 +0000

NEW DELHI. In a strategic move to boost regional connectivity and helicopter tourism, Pawan Hans Limited and the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation signed a Memorandum of Understanding on July 13, 2026, at the IRCTC Corporate Office in Delhi. The agreement, signed in the presence of Pawan Hans CMD Sh. Sunil Kumar Nagdawne, IRCTC CMD Sh. Sanjay Kumar Jain, and IRCTC Director of Tourism and Marketing Sh. Rahul Himalian, aims to integrate Pawan Hans’ premier helicopter services with IRCTC’s robust digital booking platform and extensive e-ticketing network. Under this collaboration, helicopter services operated under the government’s regional connectivity scheme, RCS UDAN, will become easily accessible to travelers directly through IRCTC’s website and mobile applications. By combining Pawan Hans’ aviation expertise with IRCTC’s established digital ecosystem, the partnership is designed to deliver a seamless user experience featuring simplified booking, smoother refund processing, and enhanced customer convenience, directly supporting the Government of India’s vision for regional tourism development.

UDAN Scheme Boosts Regional Air Connectivity, 651 Routes Operationalised

Newsmantra — Fri, 19 Dec 2025 08:59:47 +0000

NEW DELHI. Under the Regional Connectivity Scheme–Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik (RCS-UDAN), a total of 651 routes have been operationalised across India, connecting 93 unserved and underserved airports, including 15 heliports and two water aerodromes, Parliament was informed. Civil Aviation Minister Rammohan Naidu said that Uttar Pradesh alone has seen 87 routes linking 12 airports under the scheme. More than 157 lakh passengers have so far benefited from 3.27 lakh UDAN flights, significantly improving air access to Tier-II and smaller cities.

The government has also announced a modified UDAN scheme to further strengthen regional connectivity by linking 120 new destinations nationwide, including in Uttar Pradesh, with an estimated reach of four crore passengers over the next decade. The proposal is currently at the approval stage. Naidu added that airport infrastructure development is an ongoing process, while aviation safety is ensured through DGCA’s strict oversight, including audits and regular surveillance. Under the Greenfield Airports Policy, in-principle approval has been granted to 24 new airports, of which 13 are already operational.

Regional Connectivity Scheme Completes 8 Yrs

Newsmantra — Mon, 21 Oct 2024 05:27:28 +0000

The Regional Connectivity Scheme – Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik (RCS-UDAN) today completed eight years of its launch. The scheme was launched by the Ministry of Civil Aviation on 21st of October, 2016. The UDAN scheme focuses on improving unserved air routes in underserved regions of the country and fulfilling the aspirations of the common citizens. Under it, the first RCS- UDAN flight was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the 27th of April 2017.

Since the launch of the scheme, over 600 UDAN routes have been operationalized. and more than one crore forty-four lakh passengers have travelled by flight.. This demonstrates the success of the scheme in enhancing air travel accessibility. The scheme has so far connected 34 States and Union territories across the length and breadth of the country. Under the scheme, ten airports have also been operationalized in the Northeast region in addition to two heliports. RCS-UDAN is not only providing last-mile connectivity to Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities but also stands as a prominent contributor to the tourism sector. The scheme has become a game changer for many airports by triggering air connectivity and regional growth.

499 RCS UDAN routes operationalized.

Newsmantra — Fri, 27 Oct 2023 05:46:47 +0000

So far, RCS-UDAN has facilitated travel of more than 130 lakh passengers, demonstrating its success in enhancing air travel accessibility. A total of 75 airports have been operationalized under UDAN. Eight airports have been operationalized in the Northeast region. Many airports that were operationalized under UDAN such as Darbhanga, Hubli, Kannur, Mysuru, etc. have become sustainable with many non-RCS commercial flights operating from these airports.

7 years of RCS-UDAN

Newsmantra — Mon, 23 Oct 2023 05:53:09 +0000

More than 123 lakh passengers have benefited from RCS-UDAN

Newsmantra — Fri, 28 Jul 2023 07:43:07 +0000

Viability Gap Funding (VGF) amounting to Rs. 2729.11 crore has been released from the Regional Air Connectivity Fund Trust (RACFT) to the Selected Airline Operators for operation of Regional Connectivity Scheme(RCS) – UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik) Scheme.

Under UDAN, 479 routes are operational, connecting 74 airports, including 2 Water Aerodromes and 9 heliports. More than 123 lakh passengers have benefited from the Scheme.

The Government has set a target to operationalise 1000 UDAN routes during the currency of the scheme and to revive/develop 100 unserved and underserved airports/heliports/water aerodromes in the country by 2024 for operation of UDAN flights.