Ending all controversies over naming of the upcoming airport in Ajmer district, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) will go by the name of Kishangarh airport when Prime Minister Manmohan Singh lays its foundation on Saturday.
There were demands naming the airport after Sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chishty from a lobby of khadims of the dargah. Some organizations wanted it after the last Hindu king Prithiviraj Chauhan.
“The name will be Kishangarh airport on the occasion of foundation lying stone for its construction,” said Ashok Kapoor, the chief security officer of the project.
“Basically, the name is important for a project which identifies it with the place but in the case of Kishangarh airport, it will be named after the world-famed marble town market,” an official said. The name suits the marble lobby as it identifies their town at the international level.
The khadims of the dargah demanding it to be named after the Sufi saint, submitted a memorandum to President Pranab Mukherjee during his visit to Ajmer. “As Ajmer is famous worldwide for the dargah, naming the of airport after him will spread his message to everyone,” said Sayed Waheed Angara, secretary to the Anjuman committee.
Meanwhile, some Hindu organizations also sent a memorandum to the President demanding the airport to be named after Prithviraj Chauhan. Even RSS has given its nod to this proposal. “This is a historic city and known for the last Hindu king. To give respect to him, we wanted to name the airport after him,” an RSS leader. Some groups also demanded that name should after internationally acclaimed temple town Puskar.
However, the Congress does not want any controversy, especially at a time of when state assembly elections is round the corner. Sources said the airport will come up in Ajmer as Union minister Sachin Pilot had made a promise for it and he does not want to create any disagreement over the name issue.
The proposal for an airport in Ajmer first came up when former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi visited Ajmer and showed concern over the fact that the city where thousands of devotees come daily does not have an airport. Since the last 25 years, the government have been trying to bring an airport in the district. Land for the airport was earlier identified in Saradana on Beawar road but after a dispute in court, it was abandoned. Ten years ago, the district administration again identified land for airport in Kishangragh and with the initiation of Sachin Pilot the project got momentum and now the construction work will commence soon.
The district administration had handed over the land for Kishangarh airport to AAI and it is expected to ready for flights in 2016. There are facilities of 2,152 metre-long runway and about 442 acre land has been acquired for the project which is estimated to cost Rs 160 crore.
src: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jaipur/Controversy-over-Kishangarh-airport-to-be-final-name/articleshow/22775268.cms