CM Fadnavis Welcomes UDAN Routes for Solapur and Amravati
Synopsis
Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis has welcomed the selection of Solapur-Mumbai-Solapur and Amravati-Pune-Amravati routes under the modified UDAN scheme, crediting PM Modi, Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu, and MoS Murlidhar Mohol for supporting the state's regional air connectivity push.
Key Takeaways
Two new routes selected : Solapur-Mumbai-Solapur and Amravati-Pune-Amravati under the modified UDAN scheme.
CM Devendra Fadnavis announced and welcomed the route selections on October 16, 2026 .
The UDAN scheme ( Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik ) was originally launched in 2016 to connect underserved airports and make air travel affordable.
Both Solapur and Amravati are tier-2 cities in Maharashtra that previously lacked direct air links to the state's major metros.
Fadnavis credited PM Narendra Modi , Union Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu , and MoS Murlidhar Mohol for facilitating Maharashtra's inclusion.
Operational start dates for both new routes are yet to be officially announced by the civil aviation ministry.
Two Maharashtra cities that once watched flights pass overhead are now on the map. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday, October 16, 2026, welcomed the selection of Solapur-Mumbai-Solapur and Amravati-Pune-Amravati air routes under the modified UDAN regional connectivity scheme — a moment he called a 'new impetus' for the state's regional aviation.
What the Two New Routes Mean for Maharashtra's Interior
Posting in Marathi, CM Fadnavis described the route selections as a matter of 'happiness' — आनंदाची बाब — for the common citizen. The two corridors plug a longstanding connectivity gap: Solapur, a textile and industrial hub in south-eastern Maharashtra, will now have a direct air link to Mumbai, while Amravati, the administrative centre of Maharashtra's Vidarbha region, gets a connection to Pune.
Both cities are tier-2 centres whose residents have historically depended on long-haul rail or road travel to reach the state's major metros. A direct flight compresses that journey from several hours to under an hour, opening up same-day business trips that were previously impractical.
UDAN's Decade-Long Push to Democratise the Sky
The UDAN scheme — short for Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik ('Let the common citizen of the country fly') — was launched by the central government in 2016 with a straightforward ambition: make air travel affordable and accessible beyond India's metros. Successive rounds of the scheme have incrementally added routes in states across the country, with Maharashtra having received several UDAN-linked routes in earlier tranches.
The current 'modified UDAN' iteration reflects the government's effort to recalibrate the programme — adjusting viability-gap funding and route selection criteria — to sustain airline participation on thin-margin regional corridors. CM Fadnavis specifically thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for conceptualising the scheme, Union Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu, and Minister of State Murlidhar Mohol for their support in securing Maharashtra's inclusion.
Solapur, Amravati and the Ripple Effect on Trade and Tourism
Beyond the convenience calculus, Fadnavis pointed to a broader economic dividend: faster connectivity for students, entrepreneurs and professionals, alongside a fillip to trade and tourism in regions that have long felt economically peripheral relative to Mumbai and Pune. Amravati's agri-processing sector and Solapur's powerloom industry both stand to benefit from easier access to buyers and partners in the state's commercial centres.
The operational start dates for both routes and the precise contours of the modified UDAN support structure are yet to be formally announced by the civil aviation ministry.
When the first commercial flight lifts off from Solapur or Amravati under this scheme, it will carry more than passengers — it will carry the argument that distance from a metro need no longer mean distance from opportunity.
Point of View
Amplifying a central scheme on social media serves a dual purpose: it reinforces the Maharashtra-Delhi developmental partnership narrative while spotlighting relief for Vidarbha and the Marathwada-adjacent belt — regions the BJP has worked hard to consolidate. The 'modified UDAN' framing also signals an acknowledgement that earlier UDAN rounds faced airline sustainability challenges, and that the policy has been recalibrated — a nuance worth watching as operational timelines emerge.
NationPress
16 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the UDAN scheme and who launched it?
UDAN — short for 'Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik' — is a central government scheme launched in 2016 to make air travel affordable and accessible by connecting smaller, underserved cities to major hubs through subsidised regional flights.
Which new Maharashtra routes have been selected under modified UDAN?
The two routes selected are Solapur-Mumbai-Solapur and Amravati-Pune-Amravati, as announced and welcomed by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on October 16, 2026.
When will flights on the Solapur-Mumbai and Amravati-Pune routes start?
Operational start dates for both routes have not yet been formally announced by the civil aviation ministry and are among the key details awaited after the route selection.
Who did CM Fadnavis thank for the UDAN route selections?
CM Fadnavis thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for conceptualising the scheme, Union Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu, and Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol for their support.
How will the new UDAN routes benefit Solapur and Amravati?
The routes will cut travel time drastically compared to road or rail, benefit students, entrepreneurs and professionals, and are expected to boost trade, tourism, and local economic development in both cities.
