Uttarakhand State PCS

• 02 Mar 2024

Inauguration of New Heli Service in Uttarakhand

Why in News?

Recently, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami inaugurated heli service in Uttrakhand to boost connectivity within the state.

Key Points

• The newly launched helicopter service will link Haldwani with Munsiyari, Pithoragarh, and Champawat.
• This initiative is a part of the Regional Connectivity Scheme which aims to reduce the distance between these remote regions.
  • Due to Uttarakhand’s challenging terrains, aerial connectivity will help with both everyday travel and critical emergency response capabilities.
• This launch follows the recent inauguration of a new terminal building at Jolly Grant Airport.
• Upcoming air routes were also announced, including Dehradun to Amritsar, Dehradun to Pantnagar, and Dehradun to Ayodhya.

Regional Connectivity Scheme: UDAN

• About:
  • UDAN (Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagarik) was launched by the Ministry of Civil Aviation for regional airport development and regional connectivity enhancement.
  • It is a part of the National Civil Aviation Policy 2016.
  • The scheme is applicable for a period of 10 years.
• Phases:
  • Phase 1 was launched in 2017, with the objective of connecting underserved and unserved airports in the country.
  • Phase 2 was launched in 2018, with the aim of expanding air connectivity to more remote and inaccessible parts of the country.
  • Phase 3 was launched in November 2018, with the focus on enhancing air connectivity to hilly and remote regions of the country.
  • Phase 4 of the UDAN scheme was launched in December 2019, with a focus on connecting islands and other remote areas of the country.
  • Phase 5 was launched in April 2023, with a focus on Category-2 (20-80 seats) and Category-3 (>80 seats) aircrafts with no restriction on the distance between the origin and the destination of the flight.