UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Proposal for airport in Thanjavur deferred
Q1. The Regional Connectivity Fund, out of which Viability Gap Funding is disbursed to airline operators under RCS-UDAN, is administered by which one of the following?
- A. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation, which is solely responsible for all financial support extended to scheduled operators in India
- B. The Ministry of Civil Aviation, with the Airports Authority of India acting as the implementing agency for the scheme
- C. The Airports Economic Regulatory Authority, which alone determines every tariff and subsidy payable at Indian airports
- D. NITI Aayog, which invariably appraises and releases funds for all centrally sponsored connectivity schemes
Q2. Consider the following statements regarding the Modified UDAN scheme approved by the Union Cabinet and the original Regional Connectivity Scheme-UDAN:
1. Modified UDAN has a total outlay of Rs 28,840 crore through Government of India budgetary support and is to be implemented from FY 2026-27 to FY 2035-36.
2. Under Modified UDAN, Viability Gap Funding of Rs 10,043 crore is provided, with airlines receiving support for five years and exclusivity of operations limited to three years.
3. The original UDAN, launched in October 2016 under the National Civil Aviation Policy, capped the airfare for a one-hour journey by a fixed-wing aircraft of about 500 km at Rs 5,000, indexed to fuel prices and the exchange rate.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- Modified UDAN has a total outlay of Rs 28,840 crore through Government of India budgetary support and is to be implemented from FY 2026-27 to FY 2035-36.
- Under Modified UDAN, Viability Gap Funding of Rs 10,043 crore is provided, with airlines receiving support for five years and exclusivity of operations limited to three years.
- The original UDAN, launched in October 2016 under the National Civil Aviation Policy, capped the airfare for a one-hour journey by a fixed-wing aircraft of about 500 km at Rs 5,000, indexed to fuel prices and the exchange rate.
- A. 1 and 2 only
- B. 2 and 3 only
- C. 1 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3
Q3. Which one of the following correctly describes the operating arrangement at a civil enclave located at a defence airfield in India, as illustrated by the Srinagar project approved by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs?
- A. The Indian Air Force runs the passenger terminal while the Airports Authority of India owns the airfield and the runway on which it stands
- B. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation runs the passenger terminal, the Indian Air Force retaining only the air traffic control functions of the base
- C. The Airports Authority of India operates the civil terminal within an airbase owned and operated by the Indian Air Force, which develops the basic airside infrastructure
- D. The State Government concerned operates the civil terminal on land leased from the Ministry of Defence, the Air Force retaining no operational role
Q4. As reported to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture, how many of the civil enclaves in India are maintained by the Airports Authority of India?
- A. 21 out of a total of 25 civil enclaves in the country
- B. 28 out of a total of 31 civil enclaves in the country
- C. 31 out of a total of 36 civil enclaves in the country
- D. All 31 civil enclaves in the country, without exception
Q5. Consider the following statements comparing the proposed Thanjavur civil enclave with the Srinagar civil enclave project:
1. The Thanjavur facility was proposed at an airfield owned and operated by the Indian Air Force, and the Union Government has deferred it for the present on the ground that it is not operationally viable given the proximity of Tiruchirappalli International Airport.
2. The Srinagar civil enclave whose expansion was approved by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs lies within an Indian Navy air station and is operated by the Ministry of Defence.
3. The Srinagar civil enclave expansion was approved at a cost of Rs 1,677 crore over 73.18 acres, the facility being operated by the Airports Authority of India.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- The Thanjavur facility was proposed at an airfield owned and operated by the Indian Air Force, and the Union Government has deferred it for the present on the ground that it is not operationally viable given the proximity of Tiruchirappalli International Airport.
- The Srinagar civil enclave whose expansion was approved by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs lies within an Indian Navy air station and is operated by the Ministry of Defence.
- The Srinagar civil enclave expansion was approved at a cost of Rs 1,677 crore over 73.18 acres, the facility being operated by the Airports Authority of India.
- A. 1 and 2 only
- B. 2 and 3 only
- C. 1 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3
Q6. In its 2026 reply to Parliament on the proposed domestic civil enclave at Thanjavur, what exactly did the Ministry of Civil Aviation convey about the status of the proposal?
- A. That it stands deferred for the present for want of operational viability, an operational airport existing nearby
- B. That it stands finally rejected and closed, the site having been returned to the Air Force for exclusive military use
- C. That it has been sanctioned and taken up under the Regional Connectivity Scheme, with commercial flights to begin shortly
- D. That it has been transferred to the State Government, which will build and run the enclave at its own cost
Q7. Tiruchirappalli International Airport is owned and managed by a body constituted under which one of the following enactments?
- A. The Aircraft Act, 1934
- B. The Airports Economic Regulatory Authority of India Act, 2008
- C. The Airport Authority (Amendment) Act, 2003
- D. The Airports Authority of India Act, 1994
Q8. The airside expansion at Tiruchirappalli was described as making the airport suitable for five 'Code E' and ten 'Code C' aircraft. In airport planning, this classification refers to which one of the following?
- A. The pavement strength of the runway and the taxiways expressed as a bearing-capacity rating
- B. The size category of aircraft an apron stand can accept, Code E denoting wide-body and Code C narrow-body aircraft
- C. The instrument landing category permitted at the airport under different conditions of visibility
- D. The customs and immigration clearance grade assigned to an airport handling international traffic
Q9. The Brihadisvara Temple at Thanjavur was placed on the World Heritage List in 1987 and the property was extended in 2004. Such inscription and extension decisions are taken by which one of the following?
- A. The General Conference of UNESCO, meeting once in two years at its headquarters in Paris
- B. The International Council on Monuments and Sites, which evaluates every cultural property nominated
- C. The World Heritage Committee, the intergovernmental body established under the World Heritage Convention
- D. The Executive Board of UNESCO, acting on the recommendation of the State Party concerned
Q10. With reference to the serial World Heritage property 'Great Living Chola Temples', consider the following:
1. Brihadisvara Temple, Thanjavur — built under the patronage of Rajaraja I in the early eleventh century
2. Airavatesvara Temple, Darasuram — built by Rajaraja II in the twelfth century
3. Shore Temple, Mamallapuram — added to the property at the time of its extension
4. Brihadisvara Temple, Gangaikondacholapuram — built by Rajaraja I in 1035
Which of the above is/are NOT correct?
- Brihadisvara Temple, Thanjavur — built under the patronage of Rajaraja I in the early eleventh century
- Airavatesvara Temple, Darasuram — built by Rajaraja II in the twelfth century
- Shore Temple, Mamallapuram — added to the property at the time of its extension
- Brihadisvara Temple, Gangaikondacholapuram — built by Rajaraja I in 1035
- A. 1 and 2
- B. 3 and 4
- C. 2 and 3
- D. 3 only
Q11. Which one of the following statements regarding Question Hour in Parliament is correct?
- A. The Chairman of the Rajya Sabha shifted Question Hour in that House from 11 a.m. to 12 noon in 2014, and unless he otherwise directs it runs till 1 p.m.
- B. The Speaker of the Lok Sabha shifted Question Hour in both Houses from 11 a.m. to 12 noon in 2014, exercising powers under the Rules of Procedure
- C. The Chairman of the Rajya Sabha shifted Question Hour in that House from 11 a.m. to 12 noon in 2004, when the notice period was also raised to 15 days
- D. Question Hour was dispensed with on the day of the President's Address and on Budget day by a constitutional amendment adopted in 2014
Q12. With reference to the funding architecture for regional airport development under the Modified UDAN scheme, consider the following statements:
1. The scheme has a total outlay of Rs 28,840 crore met through budgetary support of the Government of India, spread over FY 2026-27 to FY 2035-36.
2. Viability Gap Funding of Rs 10,043 crore is provided, airlines receiving support for five years and exclusivity of operations for three years.
3. Operation and maintenance support is extended to every airport in the country for the entire scheme period, with no ceiling on the amount payable to an airport in a year.
4. Routes under the scheme are allotted to whichever eligible airline applies first, no bidding of any kind being involved at any stage.
Which of the statements given above is/are NOT correct?
- The scheme has a total outlay of Rs 28,840 crore met through budgetary support of the Government of India, spread over FY 2026-27 to FY 2035-36.
- Viability Gap Funding of Rs 10,043 crore is provided, airlines receiving support for five years and exclusivity of operations for three years.
- Operation and maintenance support is extended to every airport in the country for the entire scheme period, with no ceiling on the amount payable to an airport in a year.
- Routes under the scheme are allotted to whichever eligible airline applies first, no bidding of any kind being involved at any stage.
- A. 1 and 2
- B. 2 and 3
- C. 3 and 4
- D. 4 only