Saturday, January 27, 2018

TN cities to get connected by air in UDAN scheme

Chennai: The government has awarded 90 routes to airlines as well as helicopter operators, enhancing air connectivity to 73 new airports and helipads in tier 2 and tier 3 cities to operate flight and chopper services to destinations like Kargil, Darbhanga, Pakyong (Gangtok), Cooch Behar, Jorhat and Almora.

Subsequently, airfare on these routes for one hour journey of 500 km on a fixed-wing aircraft flight or for a 30 minute journey on a helicopter would be capped at Rs 2,500.

“Udan-II has addressed the problem of (air connectivity in the) difficult areas (which are) basically areas with hilly tracks, where road connectivity is low or probably has no train connectivity,” Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapati Raju said. ” We will connect 29 unserved airports, 13 underserved airports to 36 served airports and 31 helipads. This is the first time that helicopter (services) are coming under Udan.”

In all 73 unserved or underserved airports and helipads located in 19 States will be connected to 36 served airports through the second phase. Eleven fixed-wing operators have been granted rights for 67 routes and four helicopter operators have been awarded 23 routes. Among the major domestic carriers, IndiGo has bagged 20 proposals, SpiceJet got 17 while Jet Airways won four proposals.  In the first phase, contracts to five companies were awarded to operate flight services on 128 routes to 70 airports.

People in Tamilnadu can soon use the UDAN to fly from Chennai to Vellore Thanjavur. Two airlines have bagged the rights to start services in a 70-80 seater plans under the phase 2 of the regional connectivity scheme. SpiceJet will start services on the Chennai-Thanjavur route, while Turbo Aviation will operate from Vellore to the city. It is noted that SpiceJet has already begun operations on the Hyderabad-Puducherry route under phase 1 of the project and is gearing up to launch flights to Hosur and Salem.
26/01/18 News Today
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