Lok Sabha Question No. 3732 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-03-23
Subject: Implemention of SOP
Ministry: CIVIL AVIATION
Asked by: T. R. Paarivendhar

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF CIVIL AVIATION Lok Sabha

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. : 3732

( TO BE ANSWERED ON THE  23rd March 2023 )

IMPLEMENTION OF SOP

3732.    DR. T.R. PAARIVENDHAR Will the Minister of CIVIL AVIATION

be pleased to state:-

- (a)  whether  the  Union  Government  proposes  to  implement  the  Standard Operation Procedure (SOP) or lay down any guidelines for route dispersal for all private airlines in all airports across the country;
- (b) if so, the details thereof along with reasons for implementing the SOP or laid down guidelines;
- (c)  the  names  of  such  airports  which  were  connected  with  the  SOP  or proposed laid down guidelines for route dispersal; and
- (d)  the  total  number  of  private  airlines  that  are  presently  operating  flight
- service across the country, airline-wise?

## ANSWER

Minister of State in the Ministry of CIVIL AVIATION      (GEN. (DR) V. K. SINGH (RETD))

- (a) to (c): To achieve better connectivity of air transport services for different regions  in  the  country,  the  Government  of  India  issued  the  revised  Route Dispersal Guidelines (RDG) on 25.07.2017.;

;

Routes have been classified into categories namely Category- I, II, II-A and III under RDG. The criteria for routes classified under Category- I, are, a flying distance  of  more  than  700  km,  average  seat  factor  of  more  than  70%  and annual traffic of 5 lakh passengers over two full schedules i.e. summer and winter schedule.;

There are twenty routes connecting cities directly under Category-I, as given in Annexure. Routes connecting stations in North-Eastern Region, Himachal Pradesh,  Uttarakhand,  Union  Territories  of  Jammu  &  Kashmir,  Ladakh, Andaman  & Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep Islands are classified as Category-II.;

All  scheduled  operators  are  required  to  deploy  at  least  10%  in  Category-II routes of their deployed capacity on Category-I routes. Routes  within  the  North-Eastern  Region,  Himachal  Pradesh,  Uttarakhand, Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep Islands  and  Cochin-Agatti-Cochin  are  classified  as  CategoryIIA. All operator(s) are required to deploy at least 1% in Category- IIA routes of the capacity, deployed on Category- I routes.;

Routes other than those mentioned in Category- I, II and II-A are classified as Category-III. All operator(s) are required to deploy at least 35% in CategoryIII routes of the capacity, deployed on Category-I routes.

(d):  As  per  the  approved  Winter  schedule  2022,  there  are  08  scheduled domestic  airlines  and  03  scheduled  commuter  airlines  operating  to/from airports across the country.

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## ANNEXURE ANNEXURE IN REPLY TO LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3732 FOR

## ANSWER ON 23.03.2023

Routes connecting cities directly under Category-I of the RDG are as under:

1. Mumbai-Delhi;
2. 'Delhi-Bangalore;
3. Mumbai-Chennai;
4. Hyderabad-Delhi;
5. Bangalore-Kolkata;
6. Bangalore-Pune;
7. Delhi-Patna;
8. Mumbai-Cochin;
9. Mumbai-Chandigarh;
10. Mumbai-Lucknow;
11. Bangalore-Mumbai;
12. Delhi-Kolkata;
13. Delhi-Chennai;
14. Mumbai-Kolkata;
15. Chennai-Kolkata;
16. Ahmedabad-Delhi;
17. Mumbai-Jaipur;
18. Delhi-Pune;
19. Delhi-Goa;
20. Chennai-Pune;

.