Tripura Transport Minister Sushant Chowdhary said the first international flight service from the airport here to Bangladesh’s Chittagong is set to start next month. Low-cost carrier SpiceJet will start its flight service from Maharaja Bir Bikram Airport here to Chittagong by the first week of June as necessary clearances for immigration and customs are expected by that time, he said during a press conference on Tuesday. Said.
Chief Minister Manik Saha met Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia in Delhi and urged him to boost air connectivity in the northeastern state.
“In a letter to the chief minister, Scindia ji on Tuesday informed about the steps taken by his ministry to improve air connectivity in Tripura,” Chowdhary said. The Union Minister also said that the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) has been asked to re-survey the security arrangements for night flight service from MBB airport.
He said that there is an additional requirement of about 143 CISF personnel to start the night flight service from the airport here.
On the demand for starting direct flights from Agartala to Mumbai and Hyderabad, Chowdhury said, “The Union minister clarified that the ministry cannot ask any airline to start flight services in particular sectors.”
Quoting the letter, Choudhary said the Civil Aviation Ministry has already shortlisted Kailashahar airport among 50 facilities for air connectivity under the regional connectivity plan in response to the chief minister’s request.
The state has decided to install a bronze statue of Maharaja Bir Bikram in the new terminal building, which was built for Rs 520 crore.
He said, “The present statue of Maharaja Bir Bikram is installed in the old terminal building, which cannot be shifted to the new one. So the state will install a new bronze statue of Maharaja Bir Bikram at a cost of Rs 25 lakh.” Said. He said that Agartala Arts College has been entrusted with the task of making the bronze bust of the Maharaja.