Pawan Hans launches helicopter flights on Dehradun-Gauchar route in Uttarakhand under UDAN scheme

Pawan Hans Limited (PHL) on Wednesday (July 30) launched the first helicopter service on the Dehradun-New Tehri-Srinagar-Gauchar route in Uttarakhand under the UDAN scheme of the central government.

The new service by Pawan Hans will enable connectivity between Dehradun, New Tehri, Srinagar and Gauchar. Union Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri tweeted that he was “delighted” to inaugurate the UDAN route along with Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat.

Puri  alingwith Aviation Secretary Pradeep Singh Kharola, Joint Secretary Usha Padhee and CMD Pawan Hans Sanjeev Razdan virtually flagged off the service on Wednesday.

New helicopter services will enhance the aerial connectivity between hilly regions in Uttarakhand and bring down the average travel time by 20-25 minutes. The service will also benefit the Chaar Dhaam Yatra pilgrims. 

Pawan Hans Limited will operate thrice-weekly helicopter services on this route. Viability Gap Funding (VGF) is provided to both operators and passengers under the UDAN scheme to keep the fares affordable for the common people. The fare for these routes is Rs. 2900 per seat.

Two more networks connecting Dehradun to Ramnagar, Pantnagar, Nainital, Almora, Pithoragarh, and Dehradun to Mussoorie will also be operationalized soon by Pawan Hans Limited.

A total of 274 UDAN routes have been operationalized so far connecting 45 airports and 3 heliports since the launch of the first UDAN flight in April 2017

It is to be noted that the first flight under the UDAN Scheme was launched by Prime Minister Modi from Shimla to Delhi in April 2017

Three rounds of UDAN have already been undertaken and so far close to 50 lakh passengers have travelled in UDAN flights covering airports in 19 states and 2 UTs.