Under the regional air connectivity scheme Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik UDAN what is the approximate capped airfare for a one hour flight on many tier 2 and tier 3 routes?

Introduction / Context:
The Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik scheme, commonly called UDAN, is a regional air connectivity programme launched by the Government of India to make air travel affordable and to improve connectivity to smaller cities. One of the key features of the scheme is a fare cap on a portion of seats on certain routes, which is frequently asked about in general awareness and economy sections of competitive exams.

Given Data / Assumptions:

- The scheme in question is UDAN for regional air connectivity. - The question asks about the capped airfare for a one hour flight on selected routes. - The options range from Rs 1500 to Rs 3000 per hour. - We assume the standard initial fare cap as notified when the scheme was launched.

Concept / Approach:
Under the original UDAN guidelines, a certain number of seats on flights covering approximately 500 to 600 kilometres or taking around one hour of flight time are to be offered at a capped airfare of about Rs 2500 per passenger for that one hour journey. This affordable fare is supported through a viability gap funding mechanism where the government compensates airlines for the reduced ticket price. Consequently, exam questions that summarise the scheme almost always quote Rs 2500 per hour as the key figure to remember.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that UDAN aims to make air travel accessible to the common citizen by limiting fares on regional routes. Step 2: Remember the widely publicised statement that under UDAN, you can fly for about one hour for a fare capped at around Rs 2500. Step 3: Compare the options and note that Rs 2500 per hour appears as option c, matching the figure from scheme documents. Step 4: Recognise that Rs 1500 or Rs 2000 would be lower than the commonly quoted cap and are not the standard numbers given in policy summaries. Step 5: Understand that Rs 3000 is higher than the scheme cap and therefore does not meet the goal of capped affordable pricing, so choose Rs 2500 per hour.

Verification / Alternative check:
Official press releases and civil aviation ministry documents describing the launch of UDAN clearly state that the airfare for approximately one hour of travel on many regional routes would be capped at around Rs 2500 per passenger for a limited number of seats. This number is repeated in almost all news articles, policy briefs and exam prep books dealing with the scheme. Such consistent repetition confirms that Rs 2500 per hour is the correct answer.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Rs 1500 per hour is not the officially announced standard cap and appears only as a distractor in this question. Rs 2000 per hour likewise does not match the widely publicised figure attached to UDAN fares. Rs 3000 per hour is higher than the capped fare intended to make flying affordable and thus cannot be the right scheme figure.

Common Pitfalls:
A common error is to misremember the exact fare cap and mix it up with other policy thresholds or concession amounts. Some candidates also focus only on the distance of 500 to 600 kilometres and forget the associated price. To avoid confusion, it is helpful to memorise the full pattern in one line for revision under UDAN, selected seats on flights of about one hour or 500 to 600 kilometres are capped at around Rs 2500 per passenger.

Final Answer:
Under the UDAN regional air connectivity scheme, the capped airfare for about one hour of flying on many tier 2 and tier 3 routes is approximately Rs 2500 per hour.