Kailashahar Airport Revival Gets Momentum After 32 Years of Abandonment: AAI Team Conducts Inspection
After lying dormant for over three decades, the long-abandoned Kailashahar Airport in Tripura is finally showing signs of revival, as a high-level team from the Airports Authority of India (AAI) conducted a detailed inspection of the site and surrounding areas on Monday, May 26. This visit marks the beginning of a formal process to reopen the airport, a long-standing demand of local residents and political activists alike.
Background: A Forgotten Airstrip
Located in the Unakoti district of Tripura, Kailashahar Airport once served as a crucial point of air connectivity for the region. However, operations at the airport were halted nearly 32 years ago, and the facility gradually fell into disuse. Over the decades, repeated demands were raised by the public, local organizations, and political parties to reactivate the airport, but concrete steps remained elusive.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), even before coming to power in Tripura, had promised that if elected, they would take necessary measures to revive the Kailashahar Airport. With BJP now in power both at the state and the central level, expectations have been high among the residents of the undivided North Tripura district and the adjoining Cachar district of Assam that this long-pending demand would finally be addressed.
The Recent Developments
On Monday, a delegation of top AAI officials arrived in Kailashahar to initiate the process of assessing the feasibility of reopening the airport. The team included M. Raj Kishore, Regional Executive Director of the AAI for the Northeast Region; Kailash Chander Meena, Director of Maharaja Bir Bikram Airport in Agartala; L. Darlong, Additional District Magistrate of Unakoti; Pradip Sarkar, Sub-Divisional Magistrate of Kailashahar, and other key stakeholders.
The team conducted a comprehensive on-ground assessment of the current state of infrastructure, airfield visibility, and issues related to land acquisition. These factors are crucial for determining the nature and scale of airport operations that can be resumed in the future. The inspection focused on the runway’s condition, possible obstructions, and the availability of land for any necessary expansion or safety modifications.
Following the visit, AAI Northeast Regional Director M. Raj Kishore spoke to the media and confirmed that a preliminary assessment had been completed. He stated, “We have looked into several technical and logistical aspects. The next step would be to engage in detailed discussions with the state government to determine the kind of services that can be resumed here and what infrastructure upgrades will be required.”
Political and Public Significance
The reopening of the Kailashahar Airport carries not just infrastructural or economic importance, but deep political resonance as well. Local groups, including both political and non-political entities, have consistently campaigned for the airport’s revival. Their contention has been that the lack of air connectivity severely hampers regional development, limits investment, and isolates the region from broader economic opportunities.
|From the Past :Revival of Kailashahar Airport in pipeline, Airport Authority team visits runaway |
|From the Past: Biplab urges aviation minister to declare MBB Airport as Int’l Airport |
For the BJP, the airport project also holds symbolic value. Reinvigorating the airport would serve as a visible fulfilment of pre-election promises, potentially strengthening the party’s credibility in the region. It would also reflect the central government’s focus on enhancing connectivity in India’s northeastern states, which have historically faced developmental challenges due to their remote location and difficult terrain.
Road Ahead
While the inspection by AAI marks a significant milestone, there is still a long way to go before flights begin to operate from Kailashahar once again. Detailed technical surveys, environmental clearances, allocation of funds, and coordination between multiple government departments will be required. Additionally, any land acquisition issues will need to be resolved in consultation with local stakeholders.
|Also Read :Kailashahar Airport Operations Await Start..|
However, Monday’s inspection has brought renewed hope to the region. For the residents of Kailashahar and neighboring areas, the prospect of having a functional airport after 32 years is not just a matter of convenience, but a step toward greater integration with the rest of the country. With both the state and central governments aligned politically, the chances of successful implementation appear stronger than ever.
If completed, the revival of Kailashahar Airport could play a transformative role in the region’s development, offering new economic opportunities, improving emergency accessibility, and promoting tourism in this scenic part of Tripura.
