Key Highlights
- On 5 May 2025, the Ministry of Civil Aviation gave the green light for Greenfield airports in Kota, Rajasthan and Puri, Odisha.
- The initiative dovetails with the UDAN programme aimed at expanding affordable regional connectivity.
- It will serve Kota’s status as a premier educational and industrial centre as well as Puri’s role as a Char Dham pilgrimage destination.
- Projected outcomes include a boost to tourism, job creation and accelerated local economic growth.
- Both locations have been selected for their strategic importance and existing lack of robust air links.
Detailed Insights
Kota Airport: Spearheaded by Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla, the new hub will cater to the Hadoti region’s passenger demand, strengthen industry logistics, and provide enhanced domestic and future international connectivity.
Puri Airport: By enabling direct flights from metropolitan cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata, the Puri Greenfield will support millions of pilgrims visiting the Jagannath Temple and promote year‑round tourism.
Background: With more than 140 operating airports, India’s network is still growing. Greenfield projects differ from brown‑field upgrades by starting from scratch on green parcels of land, allowing for contemporary design and capacity planning.
UDAN Significance: Launched in 2017, UDAN seeks to make air travel affordable for the general public while opening up new regional routes.
Key Concepts
- Greenfield Airport – a fresh air transport facility built on virgin land with modern infrastructure.
- UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik) – a government scheme to enhance regional air connectivity and reduce travel costs.
- Hadoti Region – a corridor in Rajasthan surrounding Kota, noted for its academic institutions and industry.
- Char Dham – a set of four sacred Hindu pilgrimage sites, of which Puri is one.