NEW DELHI, Dec 22: The flight operation from Belgaum (Karnataka) to Surat (Gujarat) and further on to Kishangarh (Ajmer) was launched from Monday under the RCS-UDAN (Regional Connectivity Scheme – Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik) of the Government of India.
The officials of the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) and Airport Authority of India (AAI) were present at the inauguration. The launch of the flight operations on the Surat-Kishangarh-Belgaum route aligns with the government’s objective to provide air connectivity with metros to the Tier-2 & Tier-3 cities of the country under UDAN. More than 300 routes have been operationalised under the UDAN scheme, and the flag off marks the inauguration of the 303rd route under the ambit of the scheme.
In its constant endeavour to link the unconnected regions, Star Air was awarded the Belgaum-Surat-Kishangarh route during the UDAN 3 bidding process last year. The airlines are being provided Viability Gap Funding (VGF) under the UDAN scheme to keep the fares affordable & accessible for the common people. The airline will be operating thrice-weekly flights on the route and will deploy its 50-seater Embraer-145 aircraft.
The aerial connectivity on this route will help people of Karnataka and also Gujarat to reach Kishangarh at less than three hours, the journey present take nearly 25 hours by train and bus. People frequently visit the famous Nine Planets temple, Ajmer Sharif Dargah, Pushkar Lake, Phool Mahal Palace, Roopangarh Fort, etc in Kishangarh. Furthermore, the city is also known as the Marble City of India and is a big market of red chilies.
The launch of the regular flight operations on the route will also provide a catalyst to trade & tourism of the region.
The Flight schedule is mentioned below:
| Flight No. | Sector | Dep. | Arr. | Frequency | Effective Date | |
| OG-141 | Belgaum-Surat | 12:00 | 13:20 | Mon, Wed, Fri | 21 Dec onwards | |
| OG-143 | Surat-Kishangarh | 13:50 | 15:10 | Mon, Wed, Fri | 21 Dec onwards | |
| OG-144 | Kishangarh-Surat | 15:40 | 17:00 | Mon, Wed, Fri | 21 Dec onwards | |
| OG-142 | Surat-Belgaum | 17:30 | 18:50 | Mon, Wed, Fri | 21 Dec onwards |
(Manas Dasgupta)

