New 'UDAN 5.1' Edition Focuses On Helicopter Routes

The Ministry of Civil Aviation has unveiled the 5.1 version of the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) - Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik (UDAN) - to enhance the connectivity to remote areas of the country and achieve last mile connectivity through helicopters.

The government has launched this special edition of UDAN scheme with a special focus on helicopter routes. UDAN 5.1 is targeting coverage of a much larger number of routes. The airfare caps have been reduced by as much as 25% to make flying in helicopters more affordable for passengers.

The Viability Gap Funding (VGF) caps for the operators have been increased substantially for both single and twin-engine helicopters to enhance financial viability for operating the awarded routes. As of now, 46 helicopter routes have been operationalised under previous rounds of the scheme benefitting a number of hilly and North-East States.

The current version of the scheme has been designed after consultations with all stakeholders including helicopter operators. While the intended target is to provide last-mile connectivity, it is also projected to give the helicopter segment of the Indian civil aviation industry a much needed boost.

Union Minister of Civil Aviation Jyotiraditya M. Scindia said that the latest round of UDAN scheme is a testament to two emerging phenomena in Indian civil aviation. First, a deeper democratisation of air travel with a focus on last-mile connectivity. Second, a growing appetite for helicopters in aiding tourism.

He said that greater helicopter penetration through such efforts will help boost tourism, hospitality, and thus, the country's local economies. UDAN 5.1 heralds a new dawn not just for civil aviation, but also for India's remote and unserved regions, the minister added.

Under the scheme, passengers have received the benefit of air connectivity, airlines have received concessions for operating regional routes and unserved regions have received the direct and indirect benefits of air connectivity for their economic development, Scindia further said.

The main features of the new UDAN 5.1 scheme are:

• For the first time, an RCS-UDAN version is designed specifically for helicopter routes.
• There will be an increase in the scope of operations for operators wherein the scheme will now allow routes where one of the origin or destination locations is in a priority area. Earlier, both points had to be in priority areas.
• The airfare ceiling has been reduced by 25% to make flying in helicopters more affordable for passengers.
• The VGF cap for single and twin-engine helicopter operators has been substantially increased to enhance the financial viability for operating the routes.
• So far, 46 helicopter routes have been operationalised under the scheme, benefitting many hilly and Northeastern States.

The UDAN scheme was first launched in 2016 to establish a better regional air connectivity network in the country with an objective to make affordable, economically viable and profitable air travel on regional routes available to the common man even in small towns.

The scheme aimed at improving air connectivity to tier-2 and tier-3 cities through revival of unused and underused airports. The scheme is being jointly funded by the Central government and the respective State governments. The scheme is basically designed for 10 years but can be extended if the need be.

The latest version of the scheme will be another step towards realising the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi of making air travel to remote destinations of the country affordable for the common man.