19 States Sign MoUs to Revive Unused Airstrips Under UDAN Scheme

…viability. Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol underlined the expansion of the domestic aviation market, pointing out that domestic airports handled around 42 crore passengers during 2025-26. " Today, 19 states are signing MoUs with the ministry and together we are starting a new chapter in the civil aviation sector. These steps take the next phase from paper to the ground, " Mohol said. "India is the world's third largest domestic aviation market, and by 2030 we expect this number would reach about 50 crore passengers per year. This transformation did not happen by chance. It rests on two…

…passengers per year. This transformation did not happen by chance. It rests on two pillars: a bigger infrastructure push and rapid adoption of technology," he said. Civil Aviation Secretary Samir Kumar Sinha said, " The next phase is not merely an extension of UDAN. It is a redesign based on nearly a decade of good experience. The first decade has demonstrated that regional demand exists. The task before us now is to convert this demand into a reliable and importantly commercially sustainable regional aviation network," Sinha said. The…

…MoUs mark the rollout of the challenge mode for regional airport creation across unused airfields. "Across the country, many airstrips remain unused and they await a new lease of life, which this scheme will provide. And through challenge mode, we aim to develop nearly 100 such airstrips into fully operational airports in the year ahead, " Kumar said. Published on September 22, 2026…