Regional air connectivity will remain a key priority for the government, with air passenger traffic expected to reach 40 crore by 2029, Civil Aviation Secretary Vumlunmang Vualnam said on Monday (January 6). Speaking at a conference in the national capital, he also highlighted that the ecosystem for seaplane operations is being developed.
Vualnam emphasised the “huge potential” for the growth of India’s aviation sector, noting that passenger traffic had increased from 11 crore a decade ago to 22 crore today. He projected that the number would rise to 40 crore by 2029, reflecting growing demand for air travel.
‘Regional air connectivity to remain govt’s priority’
The Regional Air Connectivity (RCS) scheme, also known as UDAN, aims to improve regional air connectivity by linking unserved and underserved airports while making air travel more affordable. Vualnam assured that RCS would continue to be a government priority, with ongoing efforts to expand helicopter and seaplane operations as well.
Since the launch of UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik) in October 2016, 613 routes connecting 87 unserved and underserved airports, including 13 heliports and two water aerodromes, have been operationalised as of November 30, 2024.
The Civil Aviation Ministry reported that more than 146 lakh domestic passengers have traveled on 2.86 lakh RCS flights by December of the previous year.