Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone through video conferencing for the Kota-Bundi Greenfield Airport at Shambhupura between Kota and Bundi for a modern airport project worth Rs 15 billion (bn). Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and Union Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu attended the ceremony. The project was presented as a catalyst for economic and industrial growth in the Harauti region and part of efforts to improve connectivity. The Prime Minister recalled a recent visit to Ajmer when major development projects were inaugurated and more than 21,000 youths received appointment letters, which he said signalled the pace of Rajasthan's advancement. He observed that the foundation-laying marked a day of new hope for Kota, Bundi, Baran and Jhalawar as the modern airport began to take shape. He noted that a prior promise about the airport was being fulfilled and that the project would strengthen local infrastructure. Referring to earlier inconvenience caused by additional journeys to Jodhpur or Jaipur to catch flights, the Prime Minister said that once operational travel would be easier and shorter and trade would grow across the Harauti region, including Kota. He described Kota as a unique centre of education and energy, which generates electricity from nuclear, coal, gas and water sources. He highlighted the global reach of Kota Doria sarees, Kota stone and local agricultural produce such as Bundi's Basmati rice, and said the new airport would boost marketing prospects and support local employment. He also highlighted the region's tourism potential, including spiritual sites Shri Mathuradhish Ji and Garadia Mahadev and Mukundara Hills. He outlined connectivity gains including modernisation of railway stations under the Amrit Bharat scheme and the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway. He commended local leadership, lauded Om Birla for his dedication, and noted that the number of airports had risen from 70 in 2014 to over 160 today.