IndiGo starts operations from Hindon Airport, connects 9 cities
What's the story
Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu on Sunday inaugurated new IndiGo flight routes from Hindon Airport in Ghaziabad. The launch marks the first time IndiGo has operated from this NCR-based airport, after Air India Express started operations four months ago. The new routes will connect Hindon to nine Indian cities: Bengaluru, Kolkata, Varanasi, Goa, Patna, Chennai, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, and Indore.
Airport development
Transformation of Hindon Airport
Hindon Airport has been transformed since its redevelopment in 2019 at a cost of ₹50 crore under the UDAN regional connectivity scheme. The Indian Air Force collaborated in this project. The airport used to serve only 8,000 passengers annually before the redevelopment, but that number has now crossed 80,000, the minister said.
Connectivity expansion
About the UDAN scheme
The UDAN scheme, launched in April 2017, aims to boost air travel in underserved areas by improving unserved air routes. The Union Budget for 2025-26 has proposed a revised version of this scheme, aiming to connect 120 new destinations and transport four crore additional passengers over the next decade. Minister Naidu hailed the launch as a "success of the UDAN scheme and aspirations of common Indians."
Aviation growth
Hindon will serve as a model for future growth
Minister Naidu emphasized the rapid growth of India's aviation sector over the past decade, with airlines, airport terminals, and passengers all doubling. He said that Hindon will serve as a model for future growth in tier II and III cities from 2024 to 2034. The government aims to make India a global aviation hub by 2030.