15 Airports Under UDAN Scheme Temporarily Non-Operational

As many as fifteen airports built under India’s Regional Connectivity Scheme (UDAN) are not currently operating flights. The government stated that the shutdowns are temporary and related to a combination of operational and demand issues.

In a written response to the Rajya Sabha on Monday, Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol provided this update to members.

What the UDAN Scheme Covers

The UDAN scheme, short for Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik, aims to make air travel more affordable and connect smaller towns to the main aviation network. It connected places that did not have regular flights earlier and helped many travellers skip long train and bus journeys.

The government says 651 UDAN routes have opened so far across the country. These routes connected 93 airports, 15 heliports, and 2 water aerodromes. The project is still running, but some airports are facing issues.

List of 15 UDAN Airports That Are Temporarily Not Operational

Here is the complete list of 15 airports that started under the UDAN scheme and are now non-operational for various reasons.

1. Pathankot
2. Pakyong
3. Kushinagar
4. Aligarh
5. Azamgarh
6. Chitrakoot
7. Shravasti
8. Moradabad
9. Bhavnagar
10. Ambikapur
11. Rourkela
12. Ludhiana
13. Datia
14. Kalaburagi
15. Shimla

Why Flights Stopped At These Airports

Different problems led to the suspension of flights:

• The three-year government support funding (VGF) has exceeded.
• Poor visibility at airports that work only under Visual Flight Rules.
• Runway closed during the day for maintenance.
• Shortage of aircraft with airlines.
• Airline partners are facing leasing and operational problems.
• Very low passenger demand on some routes.

The government says the shutdown is temporary and not permanent.

Only a Few Newly Opened Airports Have Flights

In the last five years, 11 new airports have been inaugurated in Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, and Bihar. However, only four of them currently have scheduled commercial flights.
These airports with working flights right now are:

• Deoghar (Jharkhand)
• Kanpur (Uttar Pradesh)
• Ayodhya (Uttar Pradesh)
• Purnea (Bihar)

All other newly inaugurated airports still do not have regular flights, even though they were opened for service.

What This Means for Travellers

If you are planning to fly to or from smaller towns under UDAN, it’s a good idea to double-check flight status before booking. Some routes may restart later, depending on airline interest and passenger demand.