AGARTALA: The Maharaj Bir Bikram (MBB) airport in Agartala – the capital of Tripura – is poised to join the ranks of international airports in the Northeast region, following in the footsteps of Guwahati’s LGBI airport and Imphal’s Bir Tikendrajit International airport.
This development marks a significant milestone in Tripura’s aviation infrastructure, opening doors to enhanced connectivity with neighboring countries.
During the unveiling ceremony of a 5-feet-high bronze statue honoring Maharaja Bir Bikram Manikya Bahadur, the last ruler of the Manikya dynasty, Tripura chief minister Manik Saha expressed the government’s commitment to establishing air connectivity with Bangladesh from the MBB airport expeditiously.
He attributed this progress to the efforts of the BJP-IPFT alliance government in Tripura and the central government’s Act East Policy on the region’s communication infrastructure.
Currently, the MBB airport witnesses robust activity, with 30-32 flights operating regularly and over 4000 passengers traveling daily.
Tripura CM Manik Saha affirmed the state government’s persistent efforts to secure international airport status for MBB, highlighting ongoing dialogue with the civil aviation ministry to address formalities related to immigration and international air connectivity.
“We are engaging with the central government to resolve the necessary formalities relating to immigration and international air connectivity,” stated Tripura chief minister Manik Saha.
He emphasized the state’s eagerness to inaugurate the first flight to Chittagong in Bangladesh at the earliest opportunity.
The Agartala airport, originally established in 1942 with land donated by then Tripura King Bir Bikram Kishore Manikya Bahadur, played a crucial role as a technical base for the Royal Air Force during World War II.
Renamed after Maharaja Bir Bikram Kishore Manikya Bahadur by the union government in July 2018, the airport’s transformation into an international hub underscores Tripura’s growing significance in the regional aviation landscape.