India’s regional connectivity scheme UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik) marks nine years of transforming how Indians travel. The government launched the scheme on October 21, 2016, to make air travel affordable and accessible for the common citizen. Nine years later, UDAN stands as one of India’s most successful aviation initiatives, connecting small towns and remote regions to the national network and driving economic growth from the ground up.

From Concept to Nationwide Connectivity

The Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS-UDAN) set out to democratise air travel and bridge regional gaps across India. Since its launch, airlines have operationalised 649 routes, linking 93 aerodromes, including 15 heliports and two water aerodromes. The scheme extended air connectivity to some of the country’s mo

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