New Delhi: Shri Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, Union Minister of Civil Aviation and Steel, virtually inaugurated a UDAN flight connecting Dehradun and Pithoragarh from New Delhi today. The Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, Shri Pushkar Singh Dhami, also participated in the event from Pithoragarh.
Operated by “Fly Big” under the RCS UDAN Scheme, the flight service between Dehradun and Pithoragarh will run three days a week (Monday, Tuesday, and Friday). The 19-seater Twinotter DHC6-400 aircraft will cover the route, enhancing regional connectivity and promoting trade, commerce, and tourism between the two cities.
Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia highlighted that the commencement of this flight service reduces the 11-hour road distance between the cities to just 1 hour. He emphasized that the connectivity will boost tourism in Pithoragarh and neighboring areas while linking the eastern regions of Uttarakhand to the capital city of Dehradun.
Pithoragarh Airport, developed under the UDAN-RCS scheme at a cost of Rs 6.68 Crore, has been transformed into a 2B VFR Airport. Shri Scindia shared the ongoing efforts under the UDAN scheme, including the development of various heliports such as Dharchula, Haridwar, Joshimath, Mussoorie, Nainital, and Ramnagar. Additionally, he identified five other heliports, including Bageshwar, Champawat, Lansdowne, Munsiyari, and Triyogi Narayan Heliports, set to undergo development under UDAN 5.1 Round.
The UDAN scheme, with its focus on enhancing aviation infrastructure, aims to create a network of heliports and airports across India, fostering better connectivity and accessibility.