Jaipur: The central ministry of Environment has approved the construction of the proposed Greenfield Airport in the coaching of Kota. This was informed in a meeting chaired by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla at Parliament House on Wednesday.
Om Birla who is MP from Kota reviewed the progress of airport construction, environmental aspects, and other necessary approvals with the officials of Rajasthan Government and Airport Authority of India (AAI). The deadline for starting the operation of Airport is December 2027.
In the meeting, AAI officials said that after all necessary approvals, construction work of Kota Greenfield Airport will start from May 2025, and it is likely to commence the operation by December 2027.
This airport is being constructed in an area of 1005 acres, about 25 kilometers away from Kota city. The airport will have a 3200-meter-long and 45 meter wide runway with seven aircraft parking bays. The airport is being planned in such a way that even the large airplanes currently in use for domestic flights will be able to take off from here. International flights will operate in future as well.
The airport will have the capacity to cater 20 lakh passengers per year and 1,000 passengers per hour with a 20000 square meter terminal building, 14 check-in counters and 2 conveyor belts.
There is also a proposal to construct a four-lane 30-meter approach road to connect the airport to NH-52. The airport will have a flying club for pilot training as well.
The city of Kota is a major coaching center for engineering and medical entrance exams in the country and thousands of aspirants arrive here every year. The air connectivity to the city is not available, and the nearest Airport is at Jaipur, so an airport was a popular demand in the city.
The Defense Ministry had issued NOC for Kota airport in July 2023. Subsequently, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed between the Airport Authority of India and the Government of Rajasthan for the greenfield airport project in July 2024.
