Lok Sabha Question No. 259 (STARRED), answered on 2019-12-05
Subject: Regional Connectivity Scheme
Ministry: CIVIL AVIATION
Asked by: Raj Hans Hans

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA LOK SABHA

259 (To be answered on the December 2019) Sth

## MINISTRY OF CIVIL AVIATION STARRED QUESTION NO.

## REGIONAL CONNECTIVITY SCHEME

*259. SHRI HANS RAJ HANS

## Will the Minister of CIVIL AVIATION

be pleased to state:-

- (a) whether the Government has drawn a road map for providing operations by airlines in remote areas of newly created Union Territories of J&K and Ladakh under the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) and if s0, the details thereof; and (b)the steps the Government proposes to take to strengthen airport infrastructure in these UTs?

## ANSWER

Minister of State (IC) in the Ministry of CIVIL AVIATION

(Shri Hardeep Singh Puri)

- (a) and (b): A Statement is laid on the table of the House.

STATEMENT IN RESPECT OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 259 REGARDING "REGIONAL CONNECTIVITY SCHEME TO BE ANSWERED ON 05.12.2019

(a): Ministry of Civil Aviation has launched Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik) on 21-10-2016 to stimulate regional air connectivity and making air travel affordable to the masses\_ RCS UDAN is market driven mechanism. The interested airlines based on their assessment of demand on particular routes submit their proposals at the time of bidding under RCS UDAN from time to time. State Government of Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) had signed tripartite agreement for implementation of RCS UDAN in the State. There are thirteen unserved airports and one underserved airport in the Union Territories (UTs) of J&K and Ladakh available in the tentative list of underserved/unserved airports of RCS UDAN scheme document for bidding by the interested airlines.

Details of the RCS UDAN routes connecting UTs of J&K and Ladakh awarded to the Selected Airline Operators in 2nd & 3rd round of bidding, are attached as Annexure.

(b): Following steps have been taken to strengthen Airport infrastructure in these UTs:

- Extension of the runway at Jammu Airport by Airports Authority of India
- ii) Appointment of management consultant for preparation of detailed plan by AAI for expansion of existing terminal building at Sinagar Airport:
- iii) AAI has taken up the matter regarding construction of new terminal building at Leh Airport with the cost of Rs. 480 crore:
- iv) A pre-feasibility study has been carried out by multi-disciplinary team of AAI for development of Kargil Airport for civil operations suitable to operate Airbus 320 type of aircraft: AAI has also taken up the matter with International Civil Aviation Organization to further explore the feasibility of aircraft such as B-737 operations t0 Kargil Airport:
- A pre-feasibility study has been carried out by AAI for development of Thoise Airport under RCS operations.

## SOATEMENT REFERRED TO IN THE REPLY OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO.259 FOR ANSWER ON 05.12.2019

Detatlerof the routes connecting Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir ad Ladakh under Regional bidding

|   Bidding round of RCS- UDAN | From     | To         | Operator   | Commencement Status                                                                                                                                                                                           |
|------------------------------|----------|------------|------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|                            2 | Jammu    | Bhatinda   | Alliance   | Commenced on 27-02-2018                                                                                                                                                                                       |
|                            2 | Kargil   | Srinagar   | MEHAIR     | Routes cancelled due to future round of   bidding                                                                                                                                                             |
|                            2 | Srinagar | Kargil     | MEHAIR     | non- compliance of SAO Agreement by SAO. If any valid bid is received in under UDAN; same will be considered as per the scheme document                                                                       |
|                            3 | Srinagar | Ambala     | Zoom Air   | As per the provisions of the scheme, Selected Airline Operator (SAO) is to start RCS operations within six months of signing the Agreement or within sixty of readiness of airports, whichever is later. days |
|                            3 | Jammu    | Gwalior    | Spicejet   | Commenced on 01-05-2019                                                                                                                                                                                       |
|                            3 | Jammu    | Kargil     | Heritage   | Routes cancelled due_ to non- compliance of SAO Agreement by SAO. If valid bid is received in future round under UDAN; same will be considered as per the scheme document: any bidding                        |
|                            3 | Kargil   | Jammu      | Heritage   | Routes cancelled due_ to non- compliance of SAO Agreement by SAO. If valid bid is received in future round under UDAN; same will be considered as per the scheme document: any bidding                        |
|                            3 | Srinagar | Thoise     | Heritage   | Routes cancelled due_ to non- compliance of SAO Agreement by SAO. If valid bid is received in future round under UDAN; same will be considered as per the scheme document: any bidding                        |
|                            3 | Thoise   | Chandigarh | Heritage   | Routes cancelled due_ to non- compliance of SAO Agreement by SAO. If valid bid is received in future round under UDAN; same will be considered as per the scheme document: any bidding                        |
|                            3 | Thoise   | Srinagar   | Heritage   | Routes cancelled due_ to non- compliance of SAO Agreement by SAO. If valid bid is received in future round under UDAN; same will be considered as per the scheme document: any bidding                        |