Kadapa Airport’s UDAN Scheme: Affordable Flights and Future Developments
The Director of Kadapa district airport, Sujith Kr Poddar, shared updates on the UDAN scheme and the airport’s progress. The UDAN (Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik) scheme, launched by the Union government at Kadapa airport in 2016, initially operated by TruJet Airways, is now managed by Indigo Airlines. Currently, the airport handles four flights daily, with routes covering Chennai, Vijayawada, Bengaluru, and Visakhapatnam.
Poddar mentioned that the airport serves about 150 passengers each day and anticipates the completion of a new terminal by 2026. Locals have praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the UDAN scheme, which provides affordable air travel to rural areas. Some residents suggested subsidies for ration card holders to further benefit daily laborers traveling to nearby states for work.
Moshes Jashuva, a resident of Kadapa, expressed support for the scheme, highlighting its benefits for the local community. Recently, PM Modi inaugurated two airports, including Pakyong Airport in Sikkim, under the UDAN scheme. This airport, Sikkim’s first, connects Gangtok to India’s air network and is expected to boost tourism.
The UDAN scheme, part of the National Civil Aviation Policy 2016, aims to make flying affordable and enhance regional connectivity. It plans to connect 72 airports, including 45 unserved and underserved ones, with a capped airfare of Rs. 2,500 for a one-hour journey of approximately 500 km.
Doubts Revealed
Kadapa Airport -: Kadapa Airport is a small airport located in the Kadapa district of Andhra Pradesh, India. It helps people in the region travel by air to different places.
UDAN Scheme -: UDAN stands for ‘Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik’, which means ‘Let the common citizen of the country fly’. It is a government scheme in India to make flying affordable and improve air connectivity to smaller towns.
Indigo Airlines -: Indigo Airlines is a popular airline in India known for providing low-cost flights. It operates many flights across the country, including those under the UDAN scheme.
Terminal -: A terminal is a building at an airport where passengers check in, board, and get off planes. Kadapa Airport is planning to have a new terminal by 2026 to serve more passengers.
Subsidies for ration card holders -: Subsidies are financial help from the government to make things cheaper. Ration card holders are people who get essential food items at a lower price from the government, and some suggest they should also get cheaper flight tickets.
Pakyong Airport -: Pakyong Airport is an airport in Sikkim, a state in northeastern India. It was recently inaugurated by PM Modi to improve air travel in the region.
PM Modi -: PM Modi is the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi. He is involved in launching and supporting various schemes to improve the country’s infrastructure, like the UDAN scheme.
Moshes Jashuva -: Moshes Jashuva is a person mentioned in the summary who supports the UDAN scheme. He believes the scheme is beneficial for people.
