Team siliconindia

• Hindon Airport now connects to 9 major cities with IndiGo and Air India Express flights, boosting regional access in NCR.
• The airport, developed under the UDAN scheme, has seen passenger traffic rise from 8,000 in 2019 to over 80,000.
• A modified UDAN scheme aims to connect 120 new destinations and carry 4 crore passengers in the next 10 years.

Ghaziabad’s Hindon Airport is experiencing a significant surge in connectivity as Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu inaugurated new IndiGo flight routes on Saturday. With this development, IndiGo has become the second airline, after Air India Express, to operate commercial flights from the strategically located airport in the National Capital Region (NCR).

The newly introduced IndiGo flights have expanded Hindon Airport’s reach to nine key cities Indore, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Varanasi, Goa, Patna, Chennai, Mumbai, and Ahmedabad enhancing travel options for residents across western Uttar Pradesh and Delhi’s extended region.

Calling the launch a 'landmark moment', Minister Kinjarapu told ANI, “This is a UDAN success for Hindon, Ghaziabad, western Uttar Pradesh, and the entire country. This is an UDAN of the ambitions and aspirations of common Indians”. He emphasized the growth of India’s aviation sector, which has witnessed a doubling of airline fleets, airport capacity, and flyers over the past decade.

Built under the government’s UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik) scheme in 2019 at a cost of Rs 50 crore, Hindon Airport was developed in partnership with the Indian Air Force. Since then, it has steadily evolved from handling just 8,000 annual passengers in 2019 to over 80,000 currently a tenfold increase that reflects its rising importance as a regional aviation hub.

Minister Kinjarapu also announced plans for a modified UDAN scheme in the upcoming Union Budget 2025–26, aimed at expanding regional connectivity to 120 new destinations and carrying 4 crore passengers over the next decade.

Also Read: Air India Express to Expand NCR Ops with Hindon Airport Flights

Just before IndiGo’s inaugural flights, Hindon also welcomed its first Air India Express flight from Kolkata, marking the airline’s formal entry into Hindon operations. Air India Express now offers direct flights to Bengaluru, Kolkata, and Goa.

With both Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL) and Hindon Airport (HDO) now serving the NCR region, passengers have more convenient domestic travel options. Traditionally a military airbase, Hindon has increasingly opened up to civilian traffic, symbolizing the success of the government’s regional aviation push.

The developments at Hindon highlight the government's commitment to making air travel more accessible, affordable, and widespread across India’s Tier II and Tier III cities.