CM Gehlot cancels visit to Kota for riverfront project inauguration

Jaipur, Sep 12 (IANS) Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has cancelled his visit to Kota where he was scheduled to inaugurate the much-awaited Rs 1,400 crore Chambal Riverfront on Tuesday.

Gehlot in his post on X late Monday said, “The inauguration of Kota was proposed by me on 12-13 September, for which I was eagerly waiting, but due to unavoidable reasons, I would not be able to attend the programs on 12 September. The programs of September 13 will remain the same. Congratulations to all Hadoti residents.”

He also mentioned that the project will boost the tourism prospects in the region.

“Our senior fellow UDH Minister Shri Shanti Dhariwal has given a historic gift to Hadoti in the form of Kota RiverFront. Hadoti region is lagging behind in the field of tourism but this riverfront will prove to be a milestone in increasing tourism here and will write a new story for the development of Kota. During the last tenure, Dhariwal ji had gifted Seven Wonders to Kota, on which now even shooting of films takes place.”

Gehlot, earlier, was scheduled to inaugurate the Chambal Riverfront along with his entire cabinet on Tuesday.

While no reasons have been claimed for the sudden cancellation of this trip, sources said that allegations levelled by a BJP MLA from Kota, Prahlad Gunjal can be the reason for the cancellation of this trip.

Gunjal raised questions on the Chambal Riverfront project on Monday. He has described the construction of the riverfront as completely "illegal", and said that this riverfront has been created by flouting the orders of the Supreme Court and NGT.

Gunjal has made it clear that he will challenge the matter in the Supreme Court.

Prahlad Gunjal had also demanded from CM Ashok Gehlot to cancel the inauguration. Gunjal has also alleged that an amount of Rs 100 crore is being spent on the name of inauguration of the Chambal Riverfront, which is the money of people.

The Chambal Riverfront was to be inaugurated on Tuesday, in which the entire cabinet, including Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and Congress MLAs, and many famous personalities from across the country were to participate.

Preparations are going on in full swing in Kota and strict security arrangements were also made.

However, a sudden cancellation of this trip has left one and all surprised and triggered much speculation.

A senior leader told IANS, “Most probably, it is because of Prahlad Gunjal’s allegations that the CM’s visit seems to have got cancelled. There is no other point why the visit has been cancelled.”