Tweak in UDAN to woo more airlines

Green light likely for services on underserved routes between regular airports

The government is planning to allow relaxations under its Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik (UDAN) scheme to boost air connectivity to underserved routes. It   hopes to attract more airlines to the loss-making regional aviation sector.

The Union ministry is likely to now allow an underserved route between two regular airports. For instance, Lucknow and Varanasi: these have regular connectivity to other centres but not between themselves.

Earlier, operators were allowed to bid for services only between two underserved airports.

“A number of stakeholders and airline operators have evinced interest in undertaking operations under the scheme,” said a ministry statement on Wednesday. “Learning