Agartala, August 23, 2023: Disturbing reports have emerged of passengers arriving at the Tripura’s Maharaja Bir Bikram (MBB) Airport in Agartala facing harassment from certain auto drivers, both from within and outside the state. Authorities have taken a strong stance against such behaviour, emphasizing their commitment to ensuring the safety and well-being of travellers.

In response to this pressing issue, a high-level meeting was convened on Wednesday at the old passenger terminal building of Agartala Airport. The meeting was chaired by Transport minister Sushanta Chowdhury, higher officials of the state administration, trade union representatives, and auto drivers to seek a resolution to the matter.

During the meeting, Chowdhury underscored the importance of upholding Tripura’s reputation and urged auto drivers not to engage in activities that tarnish the state’s image. The concerns raised by the auto drivers were acknowledged, and a commitment to resolving these issues was made.

In a stern message delivered on behalf of the administration, it was made clear that the reputation of Tripura would not be allowed to be marred in any way. Strict actions will be taken against any individual found harassing passengers at the airport in the future.

The meeting was attended by key persons, including Chairman of the Tripura Road Transport Corporation (TRTC) Abhijit Deb; Secretary of the Transport department Uttam Kumar Chakma; Commissioner Subrata Chowdhury; Agartala Airport Director Kailash Chandra Meena; Tripura Police IG Monchak Ippa; West Tripura District Additional District Magistrate Rajib Datta; West District Superintendent of Police Dr Kiran Kumar K; West District Traffic Superintendent Manik Das; Chief Motor Vehicle Inspector Vijay Debbarma; and officers from the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) responsible for airport security, among other officials.

This collective effort aims to ensure the safety and convenience of passengers traveling through Agartala Airport while maintaining the reputation of Tripura as a hospitable and welcoming state.