Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Saturday said that he has requested the Central government to start international flight services from Agartala’s Maharaja Bir Bikram (MBB) airport at the earliest.
Addressing an official function in Agartala, the Chief Minister said that development is the top priority of the BJP government. “One of the goals of our government is to work for the people, and we are continuously striving towards that. A request has already been made to the Centre to start international flights from MBB Airport to other countries,” said Saha, adding that Rs 7,000 crore was allocated for various infrastructure development projects.
He highlighted that MBB Airport is one of the most beautiful airports in the northeast, with excellent modern infrastructure.
“Several flights are currently operating with most of the important cities in the country and more would be added in the coming days. There were discussions about initially starting international flights to Chittagong in Bangladesh, but given the current situation in the neighbouring country, that plan is on hold,” he added.
Tripura Transport and Tourism Minister Sushanta Chowdhury earlier said that it was decided that SpiceJet would operate flights on the Agartala-Chittagong route and accordingly, the Tripura government had decided to provide Rs 15 crore to the AAI.
He had said that the state government paid Rs 3.85 crore to the AAI as three months’ advance in December 2022, besides providing 25 police personnel to the Bureau of Immigration under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Currently, 13 flights operate from the MBB Airport with over 4,000 passenger footfalls daily. With a built-up area of 30,000 sq mt, the new terminal at the airport has been designed to handle both domestic and international passengers simultaneously during peak hours.
The Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International (LGBI) Airport in Guwahati and the Bir Tikendrajit International Airport in Imphal currently enjoy international status in the northeastern region.
The Chief Minister said that the Tripura government is committed to infrastructure development across the state and for this, it is essential to engage with stakeholders and plan in advance for each project.
Saha also reiterated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision is that development is crucial not only for the progress of the people and the socio-economic upliftment of the society, but it would resolve many challenges.
Noting that the Prime Minister has given the state HIRA (highway, internet, railway, and airway) model, he said that about 839 km of national highway work is currently underway in Tripura, with more than half of it already completed.
Decisions have been taken for four additional highways and the improved communication system in the state now allows many people posted in remote and distant locations to commute daily, Saha said.
He said that rail services have also improved significantly, with several express train services connecting Tripura to various states in the country.
“Vande Bharat Express trains would be introduced to Tripura soon. I recently spoke to the Railway Minister (Ashwini Vaishnaw), who assured me that Tripura will receive Vande Bharat Express train services, along with inter-city train services. The Prime Minister is leading us towards progress,” he said.
3 Tripura CP-M leaders surrender in local court on apex court directions, sent to jail
Three CPI-M leaders, who were booked and convicted in a case of assaulting a judge in South Tripura district during a nationwide strike called in September 2015, have surrendered before a court and were sent to jail, a defence lawyer said on Sunday.
BSP chief Mayawati removes nephew Akash Anand from all party posts, again
In a major organisational shake-up, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Sunday removed her nephew Akash Anand from all party posts, effectively ruling him out as her political successor.
Chamoli avalanche: Death toll climbs to 7; rescue ops for one remaining worker underway
The death toll in the Chamoli avalanche in Uttarakhand's Mana region has reached seven, with the rescue officials pulling out three more bodies on Sunday. Meanwhile, the search operation for one missing worker is still ongoing.
Haryana Congress woman worker murdered, body dumped in bag; BJP slams party
The body of a woman Congress worker was found in a suitcase in Haryana’s Rohtak, sparking a political storm on Sunday with the victim’s family raising doubt about the involvement of a Congress colleague and the BJP slamming the grand old party for some of its members’ criminal track record.
Will ensure Municipal Corporation gives money to gaushalas, says Delhi CM Rekha Gupta
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, accompanied by her cabinet, visited the Gopal Gosadan Harewali Gaushala in Bawana on Sunday to inspect the facilities and address issues concerning cow shelters.
TN govt must take constructive approach to solve fishermen issue: Guv RN Ravi
Governor R.N. Ravi on Sunday called upon the Tamil Nadu government to work with the central government to solve the enduring problem of the fishing community in the state.
India's growth becoming more balanced as private consumption's share in GDP rises
The good news is that India’s growth is becoming more balanced as private consumption’s share in GDP rose in fiscal 2025, according to a Crisil report.
Jadavpur University ruckus: Tension continues as students protest, 5 FIRs filed
Tension was prevailing within the campus of Kolkata’s iconic Jadavpur University (JU) a day after a ruckus by Left-wing students in which Education Minister Bratya Basu was injured.