The Chief-Minister of Tripura has requested the centre for a piece of land from Bangladesh in order to expand Agartala’s Maharaja Bir Bikram (MBB) airport.
Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb stated- “I have sent a proposal to the Centre to request the Bangladesh government to provide a piece of land, say less than 1 Kilometre inside the border area to expand a runaway of the MBB airport. The airport is close to the border. Since people from Bangladesh travel to other states via Agartala, they may also benefit from this move.”
The Airport Authority of India has also asked Tripura government to appeal this before the centre for an expansion of 52 acres of land from Bangladesh to expand the runaway. He further says- “ If we get the additional 52 acres of land, the existing runaway can be expanded to facilitate the operation of big and international aircraft.”
The Chief Minister also told reporters that the airport is used by the people of North-east India, but also by the Bangladeshis to travel outside their country.
“The people of both the countries would benefit if airbus and other large aircraft can operate from the airport,” says Chief Minister. He further gives an estimated investment of Rs. 1,500 to 1,600 crore, if Bangladesh gives Tripura the land sought.
“By the end of 2019 or early 2020, Agartala airport would become the third international airport in the northeastern region after Guwahati and Imphal,” said Tripura Transport and Tourism Minister Pranajit Singh Roy.
