After decades, Kota to get a new airport; PM Modi lays ₹1,507-crore foundation

Kota’s long-standing dream of a airport is now becoming a reality. On Saturday, the foundation stone for the Kota-Bundi Airport was laid at Shambhupura, marking a historic moment for the Hadoti region . The ceremony was attended by Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla , Rajasthan Chief Minister Shri Bhajanlal Sharma , and Union Civil Aviation Minister Shri Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu , with Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi addressing the gathering virtually.

While Kota had an airport in the past, it functioned for a few years but discontinued commercial flights in the late 1990s due to its small runway and limited infrastructure. The old airport could not be expanded to handle modern aircraft. The new greenfield airport project addresses this gap, providing the city with a modern facility that can handle regular commercial flights and catalyze regional development.

Reflecting on Rajasthan’s rapid development, PM Modi highlighted that within a week of his visit to Ajmer, where projects worth thousands of crores were inaugurated, the launch of the Kota airport demonstrates the pace of progress sweeping the state. “We had promised Kota an airport, and today that promise is becoming reality,” he said, adding that the ₹1,507-crore project , spread over 440 hectares with a 3,200-metre runway , is expected to be completed and operational by 2027 .

Until now, Kota residents had to travel to Jaipur or Jodhpur for flights. The new airport will reduce travel time , boost business opportunities , and promote tourism, trade, and education across Hadoti. PM Modi also celebrated Kota’s cultural and economic heritage, from its kachoris, Kota Doria sarees, Bundi basmati rice, and sandstone to its spiritual significance at Shri Mathuradheesh Ji, Shri Khade Ganesh Ji Maharaj , and Balaji of Shri Godavari Dham .

Addressing the ceremony, Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla said the airport will attract industries and IT investments , creating a new chapter of development for Hadoti. CM Shri Bhajanlal Sharma added that Kota, already well-connected by rail and road, is poised to emerge as a major industrial and entrepreneurial hub . Under the Rising Rajasthan initiative , projects worth ₹8 lakh crore are already underway, generating employment for three lakh youth.

Union Minister Shri Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu emphasized that with the airport expected to be operational by 2027 , Kota will now be seamlessly connected by air, rail, and road. The airport promises economic transformation, employment generation, and expansion of tourism, education, and industry. As PM Modi said, “this marks a new beginning of hope and opportunity for Kota, Bundi, Baran, and Jhalawar,” turning a long-pending dream into reality.