Jaipur, March 6: Former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot of Rajasthan attributed the initiation of the Kota-Bundi Greenfield Airport project to the previous Congress government. Speaking a day before the foundation stone-laying ceremony, he highlighted that significant steps were taken during his tenure, including land allocation and initial approvals, to transform the airport into a reality.
The foundation stone for the Kota-Bundi Greenfield Airport will be laid on Saturday in Shambhupura, with the presence of Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma. This project is crucial for the Hadoti region.
On the same occasion, the ground-breaking ceremonies for two major drinking water projects, the Navnera Mega Drinking Water Project and the Parvan-Akawad Mega Drinking Water Project, will also take place.
The airport is expected to be constructed at an estimated cost of ₹1,507 crores and will have a capacity for approximately 1,000 passengers during peak hours. The project includes a terminal building of 20,000 square meters, a runway that is 3,200 meters long and 45 meters wide, parking facilities for Airbus A321 aircraft, and seven apron bays for aircraft parking.
This airport is anticipated to significantly enhance air connectivity for Kota, Bundi, and the entire Hadoti region, promoting tourism, trade, and regional development.
Gehlot mentioned that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had promised the people of Kota an airport during a public rally, after which the Congress government took concrete steps to implement the project. He stated, “In 2021, our government allocated 1,250 acres of land free of cost for the airport project.”
He further noted that in 2022, a budget of ₹120 crores was approved to relocate necessary power lines for its construction. Gehlot criticized the central government’s delays, which he claimed stalled the project for nearly four years. Now that the foundation stone is being laid, he expressed hope that construction would proceed swiftly and with high quality.
The former Chief Minister also mentioned that the Congress government had worked to develop Kota as a major tourist destination, citing projects like the Chambal Riverfront, which was designed to increase tourist numbers in the area. He accused the current BJP government of neglecting the development of restaurants and other facilities along the riverfront.
Gehlot urged the Rajasthan government to further develop and maintain the riverbank to boost tourism in the Hadoti region and make the airport project more meaningful.
Meanwhile, several dignitaries are expected to attend the event, including Union Civil Aviation Minister K. Ram Mohan Naidu, Education Minister Madan Dilawar, PHED Minister Kanhaiya Lal Chaudhary, Civil Aviation State Minister and Kota district in-charge Gautam Kumar, and Energy State Minister and Bundi district in-charge Hiralal Nagar.
Other representatives expected to participate include Kota South MLA Sandeep Sharma, Ladpura MLA Kalpana Devi, BJP city president Rakesh Jain, rural district president Prem Gochar, along with various officials and local representatives.
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