Jyotiraditya Scindia inaugurates Udaan Bhawan in Delhi

On September 18, 2023, Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia inaugurated 'Udan Bhawan,' a centralised office complex housing various aviation sector regulators, located at Safdarjung Airport in Delhi.

Udaan Bhawan will facilitate better coordination between various regulatory authorities under the Ministry of Civil Aviation.

All civil aviation-related offices in Udan Bhawan:

• The following offices have been accommodated in the integrated office complex Udaan Bhawan located in the national capital, Delhi -
  • Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA),
  • Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS),
  • Airport Economic Regulatory Authority (AERA),
  • Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) and
  • Airports Authority of India (AAI).
• All these regulatory authorities play an important role in formulation and implementation of formulating and implementing rules and regulations as per standards in the field of civil aviation.
• It will enable better coordination between various regulatory authorities under the Ministry of Civil Aviation.

Why is Udan Bhavan required?

• There was a long-standing demand to establish better coordination among various regulatory authorities under the Ministry of Civil Aviation and to bring all the regulatory authorities under one roof, which has been completed by inaugurating Udaan Bhawan.
• The Airports Authority of India (AAI) is the premier airport operator responsible for building, operating, providing ATC and CNS services and maintaining various airports nationwide.

Jyotiraditya Scindia also launched an experimental e-wallet facility:

• On this occasion, an experimental e-wallet facility was also launched. It will act as a prepaid wallet.
• This portal will enable a faster, prompt and more secure payment system through our Civil Aviation Ministry.
• The e-wallet will be particularly useful in processing fees for various regulatory approvals in the Bharatkosh Portal. It will act as a prepaid wallet, enabling registered users to add funds in advance.
• Initially, only NEFT/RTGS mode will be allowed to transfer funds. Its users will also be able to get receipts and invoices soon.

Feature of Udaan Bhavan:

• The new integrated office complex consists of G+3 floors above ground level and the remaining three floors as basements.
• Built for Rs 374.98 crore, this complex can accommodate 1270 officers.
• The total built-up area of this building is 71257 square meters.
• Rated GRIHA-5, the building incorporates several eco-friendly sustainability features.
• The building has been designed to utilise daylight to the maximum extent possible. Eco-friendly features of the building include efficient LED fixtures to reduce heat, glazed curtain-wall assemblies and double-skin facade systems, and recycling and management of wastewater.
• Udaan Bhawan is equipped with contemporary conference rooms, advanced AV systems, state-of-the-art IT infrastructure, a sophisticated parking management system, amenities such as a yoga room and crèche facilities, and EV charging stations, among other features.

GRIHA (Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment): 

• GRIHA is a certification to assess green buildings in India.
• Along with a sustainable environment, it also provides a healthy quality of life on both physical and psychological levels.
• It was established in India to facilitate green building rules and regulations as per the climate of India.