– Abhay Kumar
Launched in 2016, the UDAN scheme has helped connect 88 airports and 1.5 crore people realise the dream of speedier travel. In 2025, comes UDAN 2.0!
The modified scheme aims to make air travel more affordable, add 120 new destinations and 4 crore flying passengers over the next 10 years.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced plans to introduce helipads and smaller airports in hilly, touristy, and north-eastern regions.
States like Bihar will get more greenfield airports built from scratch, and expansion of existing airports, to make air travel more accessible to remote regions.
The budget also includes plans to develop the top 50 tourist destinations in the country through partnership with state governments.
These changes won’t just make travel easier. This tourism-led economic expansion aims to improve infrastructure in India’s most-visited places.