AAI to showcase UDAN scheme at R-Day parade

Vijay Mohan

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 15

In perhaps the first public projection of the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS), also known as UDAN, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) has planned to field a tableau on the scheme at the Republic Day parade in New Delhi.

UDAN is a sobriquet for the RCS that stands for ‘Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik’. The theme of the tableau is ‘Airspace management, airport infrastructure development and regional connectivity scheme’.

Sources said the AAI was in the process of identifying a partner that could conceptualise, design and fabricate the tableau along with providing artistes, musical background and sound systems on a turnkey basis.

A senior AAI official said the tableau was envisioned to be a grand spectacle and a unique creation, so that it could catch the attention of the viewers and showcase the achievements of the AAI.

Launched over three years ago, the RCS is a regional airport development scheme aimed at making low-cost air travel available to people residing in smaller cities across the country, and in the process boost economic development, generate employment and build up infrastructure.

While the RCS has a potential to target 486 airports, out of which a large number are unserved or non-operational, it has so far connected 42 airports, including many which are underserved. The number of well served airports in India is limited.

A total of 224 routes have been approved under the scheme and additional routes are under consideration. These include routes for fixed-wing aircraft as well as for sea planes and helicopters.

Though the scheme is ambitious and expanding, it has been facing headwinds on account of several operational, logistical and technical reasons. Poor infrastructure in many areas, less availability of flight crew and aircraft, lack of adequate parking bays and overnight facilities, and inadequate ecosystem for the operators of small aircraft are some of the issues that have cropped up.