Modified UDAN: 100 new airports and 200 helipads over ten years

UDAN, launched in 2016, subsidised regional flights to small cities. By March 2026 it had operationalised 663 routes across 95 airports, heliports and water aerodromes, with over 3.44 lakh flights and more than 1.63 crore passengers. Its successor is now approved.

Modified UDAN in numbers

• Period: ten years, FY 2026–27 to FY 2035–36
• Total outlay: ₹28,840 crore
• 100 new airports developed from existing unserved airstrips (₹12,159 crore over eight years)
• 200 new helipads in hilly, remote, island and aspirational districts (about ₹15 crore each)
• Operation and maintenance support for about 441 aerodromes for three years
• Viability gap funding for airlines: ₹10,043 crore over ten years, with five years of support per route and three years of exclusivity
• Indigenous aircraft: two HAL Dhruv helicopters for Pawan Hans and two HAL Dornier aircraft for Alliance Air

Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu described it as an enabler for connecting Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities.

What it means for pilots

Regional flying is often where pilots build their first airline hours:

• Turboprops such as ATR and Dornier aircraft serve short regional routes. IndiGo alone operated 46 ATRs as of March 2026.
• Helicopter services to 200 new helipads will need helicopter pilots, a separate licence category (CHPL).
• Shorter sectors mean more take-offs and landings per day, which builds handling experience quickly.

A realistic view

Regional routes depend on subsidies and demand, and some earlier UDAN routes closed after support ended. But the scheme adds infrastructure that lasts beyond any single route, widening where airlines can fly over the next decade.