Kadapa airport: Sujith Kr Poddar, the Director of Kadapa district airport, recently provided an update on the ongoing developments and the impact of the UDAN (Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik) scheme at the airport. Launched by the Union government in 2016, the UDAN scheme aims to make air travel more accessible and affordable for rural populations.
Growth Under the UDAN Scheme
Initially operated by TruJet Airways until 2021, Indigo Airlines has since taken over operations at Kadapa airport. Currently, the airport facilitates four flights daily, all managed by Indigo. Poddar explained the flight schedule: “On Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday, we have operations covering Chennai-Kadapa-Vijayawada. The return flight runs from Vijayawada-Kadapa-Chennai. On Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, we see movements from Bengaluru to Kadapa and Visakhapatnam, and back.”
With an average of 150 passengers traveling daily, Poddar expressed optimism about the completion of a new terminal building, projected to be operational by 2026. The upgrade is expected to enhance the overall passenger experience and increase capacity.
Local residents have praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s efforts in launching the UDAN scheme, emphasizing its significance for affordable air travel in rural areas. Many have suggested additional measures, such as subsidies on flights for ration card holders, to further assist daily laborers who travel frequently to nearby states like Chennai, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad for work.
Moshes Jashuva, a resident of Kadapa, shared his thoughts: “The UDAN scheme is very beneficial for the Kadapa people. Before this, we had to travel all the way to Chennai airport. PM Modi is implementing very good schemes.”