New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrapped up a one-day visit to Rajasthan on Friday, rolling out a massive wave of infrastructure projects worth
over Rs 1.06 lakh crore. The visit focused heavily on upgrading the state’s transport, energy, and aviation sectors, signaling a major push for local tourism and regional economic growth.
The day kicked off with the inauguration of the brand-new terminal building at Jodhpur Airport. Built with an investment of Rs 480 crore, the state-of-the-art terminal is designed to handle up to 20 lakh passengers every year, according to data from the Press Information Bureau (PIB).
PM Modi noted that the terminal will give a significant shot in the arm to local tourism and travel connectivity. The building itself takes heavy inspiration from Rajasthan’s rich royal heritage, blending modern transit amenities with traditional local arches, domes, and cultural design motifs.
Later in the day, the Prime Minister traveled to Balotra to launch and lay foundation stones for a massive cluster of development projects. These projects span multiple critical sectors, including petrochemicals, railways, roads, urban transit, renewable energy, and power transmission.
Modernising flights
As part of the urban transit push, PM Modi laid the foundation stone for Phase 2 of the Jaipur Metro Rail Project, which comes with an estimated price tag of over Rs 13,000 crore. The upcoming phase features a 41-kilometer north-south corridor stretching from Prahladpura to Todi Mod. Passing through 36 planned stations, this new line is set to link major residential neighborhoods, industrial zones, the airport, the main railway station, and the central bus terminal.
Alongside regional projects, the Prime Minister also officially launched the Modified UDAN scheme to step up India’s regional aviation network. In an online post, Modi explained that the focus will look at developing 100 aerodromes out of unserved airstrips and putting more resources into operations and maintenance support.
Backed by a Rs 28,840 crore budget over the next ten years, the modified scheme sets aside over Rs 12,000 crore specifically for those 100 airstrips, while also planning 200 modern helipads in difficult terrains and boosting indigenous aircraft procurement.
