PM Narendra Modi's ambitious UDAN Scheme: Getting wings! Top details of Uttarakhand's 1st ever helicopter service

It's a major feat under PM Narendra Modi's ambitious Regional Connectivity Scheme – Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik (RCS-UDAN)! Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) has operationalised the 1st ever helicopter service from Dehradun’s Sahastradhara helipad to Gauchar, and Chinyalisaur under the Regional Connectivity Scheme – Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik (RCS-UDAN) of Government of India. The inauguration of the heli routes in the Uttarakhand region is in line with the objective of the Ministry of Civil Aviation to enhance the aerial connectivity of the hilly areas in the country.

UDAN 2:  Sahastradhara-Gauchar-Chinyalisaur route

- MoCA awarded the Sahastradhara-Gauchar-Chinyalisaur route to Heritage Aviation under the UDAN 2 bidding process.  

- Heritage Aviation will operate helicopter services from Sahastradhara to Gauchar and Chinyalisaur twice daily.

-For the Heli services, Viability Gap Funding (VGF) is provided under UDAN to keep the fares affordable for the common people.

- The State Government of Uttarakhand is also providing additional incentives to make the scheme more attractive.  

- The helicopter services from the Sahastradhara helipad to Gauchar and Chinyalisaur had been the long pending demand of the people residing in the hilly areas.

-The services on this route will boost the tourism sector in the Uttarakhand region and will also assist the Chaar Dhaam Yatra pilgrims as Gauchar is en route to Badrinath and Chinyalisaur is en route to Gangotri in the Uttarkashi district.

आज "उड़ान योजना" के तहत देहरादून से चिन्यालीसौड़ एवं गोचर के बीच हवाई सेवा को हरी झंडी दिखाकर रवाना किया।सहस्त्रधारा हेलीपेड से दोनों स्थानों के लिए हर दिन उड़ाने संचालित होंगी।
देहरादून से चिन्यालीसौड़ के लिए 3320 और देहरादून से गोचर के 4120 का किराया देना होगा । #UDAN pic.twitter.com/UaSLfZXJfV

— Trivendra Singh Rawat (@tsrawatbjp) February 8, 2020

Heli services

Heli services under UDAN are currently being operationalised between Chandigarh to Shimla, Shimla to Dharamshala & Shimla to Kullu

260 routes operational under UDAN

-With the commencement of the Sahastradhara-Gauchar-Chinyalisaur route, the Ministry of Civil Aviation has operationalised 260 routes under UDAN.

-Pawan Hans Limited (PHL) is also going to commence the operations under UDAN from Jolly Grant Airport, Dehradun to New Tehri, Srinagar (Chamoli, UK) & Gauchar.

With an aim to efficiently connect high priority regions (NER, Hilly States, J&K, Ladakh, and Islands) for the masses, MoCA recently invited the 4th round of bidding under UDAN which is under progress.