"Centre is creating hurdles in construction of airport in Kota": Rajasthan CM Gehlot

KOTA: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Thursday said the BJP-led central government is creating hurdles in the construction of an airport in Kota.

CM Gehlot and Urban Development and Housing Department Minister Shanti Kumar Dhariwal on Thursday went to the area where Kota Airport is proposed to be built.

Talking to the reporters, CM Gehlot said, "The Central Government is creating obstacles in the construction of Kota Airport. Kota MP and Speaker Om Birla should intervene in this matter and proceed with its construction in a timely manner."

"However, if Om Birla cannot help in this, then we will take up this work and move forward," he added. Citing the example of Kishangarh Airport in Rajasthan, the Chief Minister said that they started its construction work nearly 20 years ago and now it is ready. "We started the construction work of Kishangarh Airport 20 years ago and the airport is ready, flights are landing. There has been much development in Kota but the tourists are not able to come because they are not getting proper transportation facility," he said.

The Chief Minister said that whether the tourist is from Mumbai, Delhi or London, only if an airport is built in Kota will tourism flourish here. "Om Birla is the Speaker of the Lok Sabha and MP from Kota. He should intervene in this matter.

The Central government can easily provide Rs 50-100 crore for the construction of the airport if the Speaker asks them to do so. It is not a huge amount for the Centre," CM Gehlot said.