Udan to expand to 120 airports, fly 4 crore more passengers in next 10 years

Nirmala Sitharaman announced plans to connect 120 new airports over the next 10 years, benefiting 4 crore additional passengers. The "UDAN" scheme will connect 88 small cities, expanding air travel access and affordability.

In Short

• 4 new greenfield airports for Bihar announced
• 88 small cities to gain airport connectivity
• UDAN scheme launched by the government in 2016

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, in a big push for the aviation sector, said that 120 new airports will be connected over the next 10 years. This announcement will help 4 crore additional passengers to afford air travel, she added.

Nirmala Sitharaman also proposed plans to enhance regional connectivity, focusing on helipads and smaller airports in hilly and northeastern districts.

Presenting her eighth consecutive budget, Sitharaman announced four new greenfield airports for Bihar, a brownfield airport at Bihta, and an expansion plan for Patna airport.

Under the "UDAN" (Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik) scheme, 88 small cities will be connected through airports, the finance minister stated. The move aligns with the government's vision to make air travel affordable and enhance connectivity to underserved and unserved airports across the country.

The UDAN scheme, launched in 2016, has served over 1.4 crore passengers. So far, 619 routes connecting 88 airports, including two water aerodromes and 13 heliports, have been established.

The Economic Survey 2024-25, presented by Sitharaman in Parliament on Friday, noted that the growth of new airports and improved regional connectivity under UDAN has significantly boosted air connectivity.

"India is the fastest-growing aviation market globally. To accommodate the substantial growth in air traffic, Indian airlines have placed amongst the largest orders for aircraft globally," the survey stated.