State govt to carry out feasibility studies for satellite towns around Jaipur

Jaipur: Following a Budget announcement, the state govt is in the process of carrying out feasibility studies to develop satellite towns, said urban development and housing Minister Jhabar Singh Kharra.

"We are in talks with a multinational company to construct satellite towns around Jaipur city. We expect to complete the feasibility within the next few months," Kharra said.

According to senior UDH department officials, in line with Gujarat International Finance Tech (GIFT) City and the Hyderabad Information Technology and Engineering Consultancy (HITEC) City, the state govt wants to develop these townships as hi-tech cities. The govt has zeroed in on small towns like Bassi, Bagru, Chomu, and Kotputli to develop them into satellite towns.

"During the state budget of 2024-25 – the first budget of the present BJP govt – the state govt announced the concept of building the satellite townships. In fact, to facilitate the construction of satellite towns, the govt brought a few changes in the township policy, incorporating suitable policies already implemented by the neighbouring states," an official said.

Kharra added that once the govt decides on the location and plans for these satellite townships, fresh feasibility reports would be prepared to analyse the transport connectivity for such towns.

"There are plans to connect the proposed towns – those that would be located within a radius of 20-40 km – with the metro. However, we would take the final decision only after the feasibility reports are prepared," added Kharra.

Kharra said, the plan to extend the metro from Badi Chaupad to Transport Nagar has not been principally rejected. The Jaipur Metro Railway Corporation has appointed an agency to carry out a survey on the prospects of this metro extension.

"The proposed extension between Badi Chaupad and Transport Nagar has a major glitch. The proposed stations are too close to each other. We are conducting a survey on whether the stretch would be feasible even after revising the locations of the proposed stations. Or, instead, a new stretch to Galta Ji Temple from Badi Chaupad – through the Hawa Mahal Road – would be more feasible," the minister added.

Times View: The proposal to build a satellite town near Jaipur, as outlined in the Jaipur Development Authority's Master Plan 2025, is a promising initiative. However, the state government must prioritise enhancing infrastructure across Urban Local Bodies statewide. Establishing robust road connectivity between proposed satellite towns, such as Chomu, and major cities like Jaipur is crucial. Without these foundational improvements, the satellite town's potential benefits may remain unrealised, hindering regional development and integration efforts.