Approved in August – Silchar-Imphal, Shillong air routes missing from Aviation Minister’s reply in Lok Sabha

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has identified 24 routes in Assam under the first phase of Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik (UDAN) 4.0, Hardeep Singh Puri, Minister of State (I/C) Civil Aviation, said in a written reply at the Lok Sabha on Thursday

The question was raised by Karimganj MP Kripanath Mallah, asking salient features of UDAN Scheme and new routes approved under the phase IV of this scheme within Assam.

The Ministry of Civil Aviation, on the reply, mentioned that AAI, the implementing agency, has identified 24 routes in Assam under the 1st phase of UDAN 4.0 which are Guwahati-Shillong; Shillong-Guwahati; Guwahati-Tezu; Tezu-Guwahati; Guwahati-Rupsi; Rupsi-Kolkata; Kolkata-Rupsi; Rupsi- Guwahati; Aizawl-Tezpur; Tezpur-Aizawl; Agartala-Dibrugarh; Dibrugarh-Agartala, Pasighat-Guwahati; Guwahati-Pasighat; Shillong-Dibrugarh, Dibrugarh-Shillong; Guwahati-Tezpur; Tezpur-Guwahati; Guwahati-Misa (heliport); Misa-Geleki; Geleki-Jorhat; Jorhat-Geleki; Geleki-Misa and Misa-Guwahati.

Surprisingly, Silchar Imphal and Silchar Shillong were not mentioned on the list, the routes which were approved by the ministry itself on August last year. Joint Secretary of Ministry of Civil Aviation, Usha Padhee on 26th August 2020 tweeted a list saying “List of 78 routes under phase 1 UDAN 4.0 Bonaza to Northeast”. The list contained Silchar to Imphal and Silchar to Shillong route on serial number 61 and 69 respectively.

The recent reply in the Lok Sabha therefore raises eyebrow over the Ministry on whether the said two routes are incorporated in the UDAN list or the said tweet of MOCA official is false.

“The Selected Airline Operators (SAOs) under UDAN are obligated to commence Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) flight operations on an RCS-route within six months from the issuance of Letter of Award or within two months from the readiness of airport, whichever is later unless any extension is granted by the implementing agency” the reply mentioned.

It further added “Viability Gap Funding is provided to the Selected Airline Operators (SAOs) for operating UDAN flights under the scheme. Airports Authority of India, the implementing agency has disbursed Rs. 79,60,680/- to SAO for operating UDAN flights in Assam so far”.

The AAI has also identified a number of UDAN airports, heliports, and water aerodromes for the operation of the UDAN flights in Assam. The four airports are Jorhat, Lilabari, Tezpur, and Rupsi. The three heliports are Nagaon, Misa, and Geleki. The two ‘Water Aerodromes are the Guwahati River Front, and the Umrangso Reservoir.