Suresh Prabhu inaugurates Delhi-Pathankot flight under UDAN scheme

Delhi: Civil Aviation Minister Suresh Prabhu on Thursday inaugurated first flight from Delhi to Pathankot (Punjab), at a ceremony held at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi.

The Pathankot airport has been opened by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) to improve regional connectivity as per the UDAN Scheme.

"Pathankot is a very important border city for India and it is very important to connect and help the people from such areas, we had tried to connect the city in the past as well and our Honorable Prime Minister's dream scheme of UDAN has also got wings from this step and I believe that in the coming days, we will be able to connect many other places like this," Suresh Prabhu said.

Airports Authority of India (AAI) is the implementing agency of UDAN, a regional airport development and Regional Connectivity Scheme of the Government of India (GOI)

Pathankot in Punjab state is the 21st airport in the country, which got operational for passengers.

Regional Executive Director (Northern Region), AAI Rakesh Kalra said, "We are very much excited, because we have been waiting for this moment to come, and from the Airports Authority of India side, we have made all the arrangements at Pathankot Airport and Delhi Airport, and whatever requirements are needed- we are ready for that. Now we are waiting for the flight to land in Pathankot, and that will be a big moment."

Under UDAN, air connectivity is provided to unserved and underserved airports at a subsidized fare.