Agartala-Chittagong Flights in limbo as Tripura Eyes Airport upgrades
Agartala, Sep 05, 2024, By Our Correspondent45
Amid growing uncertainty surrounding the much-anticipated Agartala-Chittagong flights, efforts are underway to operationalize the dormant Kailasahar and Kamalpur airports in Tripura. This was revealed by Transport and Tourism Minister Sushanta Chowdhury during an Assembly session on Thursday. He highlighted the initiatives taken by the Civil Aviation Ministry to revive these two airports, which have remained unused for years.
While addressing concerns raised by the opposition, the Minister emphasized that despite the uncertainty surrounding flights to Bangladesh, significant progress has been made to elevate Maharaja Bir Bikram (MBB) Airport in Agartala to international status. “The central government is expected to soon declare MBB Airport as an international airport. This would be a significant boost for the region, and we are working to operationalize the Kailasahar and Kamalpur airports,” Chowdhury said.
The Minister, however, expressed concern over the current situation in Bangladesh, noting that the political unrest has cast doubts on the launch of Agartala-Chittagong flights. "Given the present unrest in Bangladesh, it is unclear whether flights to Chittagong will commence as planned," Chowdhury informed the House, responding to queries from Leader of the Opposition Jitendra Chaudhury and Congress MLA Birajit Sinha.
Initially, it was decided that SpiceJet would operate flights between Agartala and Chittagong. The state government had even allocated Rs 15 crore to the Airports Authority of India (AAI) to support the initiative. "We had paid Rs 3.85 crore in December 2022 as an advance for three months to the AAI and deployed 25 police personnel to support immigration services under the Ministry of Home Affairs," the Minister added.
Despite the uncertainties, Tripura remains hopeful about the potential of the MBB Airport. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the new integrated terminal in January 2022, built at a cost of Rs 438 crore. With a sprawling 30,000 square meter terminal, the airport is equipped to handle both domestic and international passengers, with a daily footfall of over 4,000 passengers and 16 flights currently operating from the airport.
Meanwhile, former Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb recently raised the matter in the Lok Sabha, urging Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu to expedite the international status for MBB Airport. "Tripura has provided the necessary funds for the Agartala-Chittagong route. The new terminal can accommodate 1,000 domestic and 200 international passengers during peak hours," Deb stated.
In addition, Air India Express has launched daily flights on the Agartala-Guwahati-Delhi-Kolkata route, providing much-needed connectivity for the northeastern states, particularly for those seeking medical treatment, education, and tourism in West Bengal.
The MBB Airport, which dates back to 1942 and was originally known as Singerbill Airport, has a rich history. The airport was renamed after Maharaja Bir Bikram Kishore Manikya Bahadur in 2018, in honor of the former Tripura king who donated the land for its construction during World War II.