Airports Introduce UDAN Cafe: Water at Rs.10, Samosas at Rs.20
The Govt of India’s Udan Yatri Café is offering affordable tea and snacks at airport street prices, giving travellers relief from high food costs and recently going viral on social media.
Eating at airports has always been expensive. From a simple samosa to a cup of tea, passengers often end up paying very high prices. Many travellers complain that even basic items cost several times more inside the airport than outside.
To solve this problem, the Government of India started the Udan Yatri Café, an affordable food outlet inside airports. The café aims to provide good-quality food at normal street prices so that passengers do not have to spend too much money while travelling.
The first Udan Yatri Café was launched in December 2024 at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata during the airport’s 100-year celebration. The initiative was started by the Ministry of Civil Aviation along with the Airports Authority of India.
Airport food is usually costly because shops have to pay high rent, follow strict security rules, and know that passengers have limited options once they enter the terminal. This often leads to steep prices for basic items like water, tea, and snacks.
At the Udan Yatri Café, prices are kept affordable. Tea and bottled water are available for around ?10. Coffee and snacks such as samosa, vada pav, and sweets cost about ?20. The idea is simple — to give travellers honest pricing and a budget-friendly option.
After receiving a positive response in Kolkata, the government expanded the café to other airports, including Chennai, Pune, Bhubaneswar and Ahmedabad. Many passengers have welcomed this move, saying it gives them relief from high food costs at airports.
Recently, the café became popular on social media after an Instagram video went viral. The clip was shared by IIT Bombay alumnus Piyush Tripathi. In the video, he is seen walking through the airport with his wife and jokingly asking her, “Samosa khaogi airport par?” He then takes her to the Udan Yatri Café and buys two cups of tea and samosas.
During the fun conversation, when he asked who was responsible for this affordable option, his wife replied, “Raghav Chadha.” He playfully asked how she found him, and she smiled and said, “Handsome.”
The caption of the post read: “Expectation: Airport = mehenga. Reality: Rs 20 samosa + Rs 10 chai. Fact check passed.”
AAP MP Raghav Chadha also reacted to the video and commented, “Haha, hope you enjoyed the samosa!” His wife, actor Parineeti Chopra, joined the conversation and replied, “I totally agree,” referring to the “handsome” comment.
Earlier, Raghav Chadha had raised the issue of expensive airport food in Parliament and urged the government to take action. When the Udan Yatri Café was launched, he appreciated the move and said it addressed the concern he had highlighted.
With the growing popularity of these cafés, many travellers are hoping that Udan Yatri Café outlets will soon be available at every airport across India.
