Agartala Airport likely to be the Third International Airport in Northeast India
The Civil Aviation Ministry is likely to declare Agartala airport as the third international airport of Northeast India.
The Civil Aviation Ministry is likely to declare Agartala airport as the third international airport of Northeast India after Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International (LGBI) in Guwahati and Bir Tikendrajit International Airport in Imphal (Manipur). As per the Airports Authority of India (AAI) officials, "Agartala airport, located 20 km north of the Tripura capital city, in terms of handling of aircraft and passengers is the second busiest airport in northeastern India after LGBI Airport in Guwahati.
Two International Airports in Northeast India
Earlier, the LGBI and Bir Tikendrajit International Airport in Imphal (Manipur) were declared as the international airports. “It would likely be declared an international airport soon to boost air connectivity with the neighbouring countries,” said officials of AAI and the Tripura Transport Department.
From Singerbill Airport to Agartala Airport
In July 2018, Agartala airport which was earlier named as Singerbill Airport, was renamed after Maharaja Bir Bikram Kishore Manikya Bahadur. Tripura Transport and Tourism Minister Pranajit Singha Roy said, “When Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya M. Scindia visited Agartala along with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 4, he (Scindia) responding to our request said that the government is trying to operate flights from Agartala to Bangkok via Guwahati airport."
Further, he said, "Scindia also informed us that Kailashahar airport (in northern Tripura) would be functional as soon as possible. If flights are operated from Kailashahar airport, people of Bangladesh, southern Assam and Mizoram would also be benefited to travel to various Indian states and abroad."
AAI official S. Haokip Jempu said, “The first known flight which took off from this Airport was Curtiss C-46 Commando transport aircraft of 4th Combat Cargo Group (4th CCG) of the United States which flew to Burma (Myanmar) during World war II in December 1944 and January 1945."
He added, “With a built-up area of 30,000 sq. metres, the new terminal building has been designed to handle 1,000 domestic and 200 international passengers during peak hours and it is equipped with all modern amenities."
