Modified UDAN: 100 New Airports & 200 Heliports Approved, UDAN Yatri Café Rolls Out
Union Minister of Civil Aviation Ram Mohan Naidu announced plans under the Modified UDAN scheme to develop 100 new airports and 200 heliports over the next 10 years. The UDAN Yatri Café — offering affordable food at airports — is also being expanded under the Ease of Flying initiative.
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Modified UDAN: 100 New Airports & 200 Heliports Approved, UDAN Yatri Café Rolls Out
News flash. Union Minister of Civil Aviation Shri K. Ram Mohan Naidu has announced that under the Modified UDAN (Ude Desh Ka Aam Naagrik) scheme, the Government of India will develop 100 new airports and 200 new heliports over the next 10 years. In parallel, the UDAN Yatri Café — an initiative providing affordable food and beverages at airports — is being rolled out at additional locations as part of the Ease of Flying push. The announcement was made on 24 May 2026.
In what is the most ambitious regional-aviation push since UDAN 1.0 in 2016, the Ministry of Civil Aviation has confirmed the broad contours of Modified UDAN — a 10-year refresh of the regional connectivity scheme. The headline number is 100 new airports + 200 new heliports, taking India’s operational airport count from the current 159 (as of FY26) towards 250+ by 2036.
The scheme also revives the viability gap funding (VGF) model for non-trunk routes and adds new categories for seaplane operations, heli-emergency medical services (HEMS) and tier-3 town connectivity. The UDAN Yatri Café — already operational at Kolkata and a few regional airports — will be expanded to all UDAN-served airports under a uniform pricing model.
Key highlights
- Scheme: Modified UDAN (10-year horizon: 2026–2036)
- Airports: 100 new (focus: tier-3 / tier-4 / hilly / north-east towns)
- Heliports: 200 new (focus: hill states + medical evacuation routes)
- Operator: AAI + concessionaire model for select sites
- Funding: VGF revived for non-trunk routes; route awards via reverse-bidding
- UDAN Yatri Café: Uniform-pricing food kiosks at UDAN airports — tea ₹10, samosa ₹20, meal ₹150 (indicative)
What is new vs UDAN 1.0–5.4?
UDAN has gone through five iterations since 2016. The Modified UDAN consolidates lessons learned and adds new categories:
| Feature | UDAN 1.0–5.4 | Modified UDAN |
|---|---|---|
| Airports targeted | 100 (original target, ~140 operationalised) | 100 new + 200 heliports over 10 years |
| VGF tenure per route | 3 years | 3 years + 2-year extension for tier-4 routes |
| Heli-routes | Limited (UDAN 4) | Dedicated heliport policy |
| Seaplanes | Pilot (UDAN 5.4) | Full sub-scheme with eligible water aerodromes |
| HEMS (Heli-EMS) | Not covered | New sub-scheme with state cost-sharing |
| Yatri Café | Pilot at select airports | Standard at all UDAN airports |
| Eligibility for operators | RSOP / NSOP holders | RSOP + two-aircraft minimum for new entrants |
Why this update matters
For a country with 28 states and 8 UTs, an operational airport count under 160 still leaves massive swathes of population more than 4 hours from the nearest commercial airport. The Modified UDAN explicitly targets tier-3 and tier-4 towns — places like Jagdalpur, Sindhudurg, Rupsi, Bidar, Belgaum, Hubli, Kushinagar, Jeypore, Bhatinda, Gondia — and adds heliports for the Himalayan belt and the north-east where airstrip construction is geographically constrained.
The 200-heliport target is particularly notable. India currently has fewer than 50 active heliports; the new policy is the first to provide VGF for heli-routes under a structured reverse-bidding mechanism, with state government cost-sharing for site preparation.
Action required. State governments in hill states (Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, J&K, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim) should identify candidate heliport sites and pre-approve land for inclusion in the round-1 bidding (expected late 2026). Regional airlines and scheduled commuter operators (SCOs) should track the AAI website and the Ministry of Civil Aviation tender section for the first Modified UDAN bidding round.
UDAN Yatri Café — what to expect
The UDAN Yatri Café is a passenger-friendly food kiosk concept piloted at Kolkata airport in November 2024 by AAI. It serves a fixed menu — tea, coffee, samosa, biscuits, water and simple meals — at transparent, uniform pricing well below commercial airport food courts. The Modified UDAN announcement extends the concept:
- Indicative pricing: Tea ₹10, coffee ₹20, samosa ₹20, water bottle ₹10, simple meal ₹150
- Operator model: Single concessionaire per region selected through bidding, contractually capped on prices
- Locations: All 159+ existing UDAN airports + 100 new airports as they go operational
- Goal: Make airports financially accessible for first-time flyers — a key Ease of Flying metric
Timeline of events
Important Dates
- 27 October 2016 — UDAN 1.0 launched.
- 2017–2024 — UDAN rounds 1 through 5.4; ~140 airports operationalised.
- November 2024 — UDAN Yatri Café pilot at Kolkata airport.
- 1 February 2026 — Modified UDAN referenced in Union Budget 2026.
- 24 May 2026 — Minister Ram Mohan Naidu announces 100 airports + 200 heliports horizon.
- Late 2026 (expected) — First Modified UDAN bidding round opens.
- 2036 — End of 10-year scheme horizon.
What happens next
The detailed Modified UDAN scheme document — including bidding rules, VGF cap, eligible operator criteria and the indicative airport / heliport list — is expected to be gazetted within 60 days. State Civil Aviation Departments are likely to be asked to shortlist airstrips and helipads by the end of Q3 2026, with the first reverse-bidding round in Q4 2026.
Frequently asked questions
1. What is the Modified UDAN scheme?
2. How many new airports will be built under Modified UDAN?
3. What is the UDAN Yatri Café?
4. Will Modified UDAN reduce ticket prices?
5. Which states will benefit most from the 200-heliport plan?
6. When will the first new Modified UDAN airport open?
Official references
Disclaimer. SarkariBaba is an independent information publisher and not affiliated with the Ministry of Civil Aviation or AAI. The 100 airports + 200 heliports figure is the announced scheme target as of 24 May 2026 — the formal gazette notification with sub-scheme rules and VGF cap is awaited. Always verify on civilaviation.gov.in before acting on tender or scheme assumptions.
