UDAN Scheme: 6 of 7 UP airports shut operations, only Ayodhya functional

• Six out of seven airports launched in Uttar Pradesh under the UDAN scheme have ceased operations, with only Ayodhya remaining functional.
• Airports in Azamgarh, Aligarh, Chitrakoot, Shravasti, Moradabad, and Kushinagar are experiencing functional issues or have suspended scheduled commercial flights.
• Kushinagar airport, inaugurated in October 2021, suspended operations in November 2023, while Azamgarh ceased due to technical objections and low visibility.
• Aligarh airport, upgraded with over ₹100 crore, failed to attract major airline operators and is primarily used for training.
• Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu stated that operational airports increased from 74 in 2014 to over 160, with many pre-independence airstrips revived under UDAN.