Har Ghar Tiranga
Background

The RCS UDAN initiative, backed by the Government of India, aims to promote regional development by improving accessibility to underserved areas. Pawan Hans Limited (PHL) is the first helicopter operator in the country to launch helicopter operations under the RCS scheme. The company has been awarded a total of 50 networks covering 144 routes across 7 states.

PHL has been recognised by the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) with a Certificate of Appreciation as a "Champion of UDAN" for its services connecting underserved and un-served sectors.

Currently Operational (select routes)
# Route Operational Since Status
13 Guwahati - Tezpur - Jorhat - Dibrugarh 08-02-2023 Operational
14 Imphal - Tamenglong - Jiribam - Tamenglong - Imphal 13-03-2024 Operational
15 Imphal - Jiribam - Imphal 13-03-2024 Operational
16 Dehradun - Almora - Dehradun 10-10-2024 Operational
1. Himachal Pradesh First UDAN route: 11 Mar 2019

PHL launched its first RCS UDAN route in Himachal Pradesh on 11 March 2019. PHL was the first helicopter operator to obtain the Scheduled Commuter Operator (SCO) permit on the same date and launched the first scheduled helicopter operation in India connecting Chandigarh - Shimla - Chandigarh.

  • Extended services to Kullu and Dharamshala on 13 May 2019 and 14 May 2019 respectively.
  • Provided RCS connectivity to remote areas like Mandi and Rampur on 9 Dec 2021.
RCS Operationalized Routes in Himachal Pradesh (UDAN 2.0)
  • Chandigarh – Shimla – Chandigarh (6 Days/Week)
  • Shimla – Mandi – Shimla (6 Days/Week)
  • Mandi – Dharamshala – Mandi (3 Days/Week)
  • Mandi – Kullu – Mandi (3 Days/Week)
  • Shimla – Rampur – Shimla (3 Days/Week)
2. Uttarakhand RCS Heli services: 29 Jul 2020

PHL commenced heli-services on 6 RCS routes in Uttarakhand launched on 29 July 2020, connecting New Tehri, Srinagar and Gauchar to the State capital. These services greatly reduced travel time between hill regions.

Presently operational routes under RCS UDAN 5.1
  • Dehradun - Almora (6 Days/Week)
  • Almora - Dehradun (6 Days/Week)
Other operationalized routes
  • Dehradun - Srinagar - Dehradun
  • Dehradun - Gauchar - Dehradun
  • Dehradun - New Tehri - Srinagar - Gauchar - Srinagar - New Tehri - Dehradun
3. Assam Started: 08 Feb 2023

PHL extended RCS UDAN services to Assam (North-East) with operations launched on 8 February 2023, connecting Dibrugarh, Jorhat, Tezpur and Guwahati.

Presently operational routes (UDAN 2.0)
  • Dibrugarh - Jorhat - Tezpur (3 Days/Week)
  • Jorhat - Tezpur (3 Days/Week)
  • Tezpur - Guwahati (3 Days/Week)
  • Guwahati - Tezpur (3 Days/Week)
  • Tezpur - Jorhat (3 Days/Week)
  • Jorhat - Dibrugarh (3 Days/Week)
4. Manipur Started: 13 Mar 2024

PHL launched RCS UDAN services in Manipur on 13 March 2024, enabling connectivity between Imphal, Jiribam and Tamenglong.

Presently operational routes (UDAN 2.0 & 5.1)
  • Imphal - Jiribam (3 Days/Week)
  • Jiribam - Tamenglong (3 Days/Week)
  • Tamenglong - Jiribam (3 Days/Week)
  • Jiribam - Imphal (3 Days/Week)
  • Imphal - Tamenglong (3 Days/Week)
  • Tamenglong - Imphal (3 Days/Week)
Future Plans

Pawan Hans is preparing to expand helicopter services under RCS UDAN to additional states including:

  • Himachal Pradesh (further expansion)
  • Arunachal Pradesh
  • Nagaland
  • Sikkim
  • Other areas in Uttarakhand

This expansion will be implemented in phased manner to extend connectivity to geographically challenging and remote regions.