UDAN: Cheaper flights, better connectivity & much more
There is no denying the fact the in the present government rule led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, we have seen some “ACHE DIN”. From GST to demonetization to new finance bill and now cheaper flights, it seems that the government is dedicated to doing some concrete work for the middle-class population of India. We do not know what else can make a traveler cherish more than the news of “Cheaper flight in India”. Yes, you heard that right. Now you do not have to burn a hole in your pocket to have a tour around the country as the Government has launched the scheme called “Udan” to boost Indian tourism and it's regional flight connectivity.
On Thursday, the Government of India announced the names of the airlines that will be its partner under the UDAN Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik scheme. These airlines will be responsible for offering cheaper flights connecting several underserved as well as the unserved region of the country.
A total of 5 airlines have won the bid under the UDAN Scheme and will now operate on 128 routes that will link 70 airports. These 70 airports include 31 unserved and 12 under-served airports. The flights that are aligned with the mission of the government are SpiceJet, Alliance Air, Air Odisha, Air Deccan, and Turbo Megha.
UDAN Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik scheme offers cheaper flights to the common man of the country. As per the scheme, approximately 50% of the seats in these 5 airlines will be offered at a price of Rs. 2500 per seat. This scheme would be applicable for all flights where the distance is less than 500 Kilometers and the journey time is one hour.
Indeed UDAN is a tourist’s delight as it will now cover many different destinations that were most visited tourist’s places in India. Tourism in India has always missed the required attention, but, with UDAN there will be a significant change in the system. There are many prime tourists spot in India which lack behind in terms of connectivity and thus making it troublesome for the tourists to reach. Shimla, for example, has an airport of its own but lacks major connectivity from prime cities of India. Now, Shimla is a perfect vacation destination in India.
Similarly, Agra & Jaipur top the list of tourist places but sadly there is no connectivity between the two. The tourists have to come back to Delhi and take a flight to Agra or Jaipur.
Curbing the plight of the tourists, UDAN will now connect many unserved & under-served locations including Shimla, Agra, Jaisalmer, Puducherry, Porbandar, Gwalior, Pantnagar, Diu, Shillong, and Mysore.
The UDAN scheme is likely to boost the Indian economy as employment pool significantly. It will generate a number of vacancies in the aviation industry including ground staff, security personnel, pilots and cabin crew.
The scheme will be an aid for the common man and business class people as well. With UDAN people in both, the categories will have direct access to 2-tier cities. The routes for these flights are already set under the Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Regional Connectivity Scheme RCS that connects the country from corner to corner. The five airlines here can collaborate with other airlines to offer connecting flights.
The Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju took to tweeter on Thursday posting a tweet stating, "UDAN network will cover the whole country, giving a major economic boost to hinterland areas."
"This will have a positive effect on the economy, in terms of employment and investment," Raju added.
Indeed this will help all travel enthusiasts to have better access to the hinterlands of the nation and will open the doors of tourism to the secret lands of India.
Author Bio