Agartala, September 05, 2024: In a bid to address the growing concern of exorbitant flight fares from Agartala, Congress MLA Sudip Roy Barman on Thursday urged Tripura’s Transport Minister, Sushanta Chowdhury to take up the issue with the Union Civil Aviation Minister. Barman highlighted the financial burden on the people of Tripura due to the steep pricing of air tickets, and called for the imposition of a ceiling on flight fares for routes connecting Agartala to other destinations across the country.
Speaking on the second day of the Assembly’s monsoon session, Roy Barman remarked, “A 40-minute journey from Agartala to Kolkata is costing travelers between Rs 9,000 to Rs 12,000. This is an extremely high price for the people of Tripura to bear. Given the state’s economic and geographical context, the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) needs to intervene and set an upper limit on airfare prices. The issue should be brought to their attention immediately.”
Responding to Barman’s supplementary query, Transport Minister Sushanta Chowdhury acknowledged the concern stating, “No airline service is directly controlled by the Government of India. However, the state government is equally concerned about the soaring flight fares. We have already communicated our concerns to the Ministry of Civil Aviation, and we will continue to follow up on the matter.”
The discussion also veered towards other aviation-related concerns in the state, as Congress MLA Birajit Sinha and Leader of the Opposition Jitendra Chaudhury raised additional queries. Sinha inquired about the acquisition of land for the functioning of Kailashahar airport, while Chaudhury sought updates on the state government’s proposal to upgrade Maharaja Bir Bikram (MBB) Airport to international status and operationalizing the Kailashahar and Kamalpur airports.
Minister Chowdhury, in his response, provided updates on these issues, noting that land acquisition for Kailashahar airport in Unakoti district had not yet commenced. He added, “The state government has already sent a proposal to the MoCA for upgrading MBB Airport to international status, as per a letter dated May 24, 2022. We have also proposed operationalizing the Kailashahar airport, and on October 21, 2020, we submitted a proposal to the ministry for handing over Kamalpur airport land either free of cost or on a long-term lease for commercial and social use.”
Emphasizing the significance of Kailashahar airport, MLA Sinha said, “Kailashahar airport holds historical importance. People were able to avail flight services from this airport during the regime of then-Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. Efforts were made during the tenure of Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh to modernize it. The previous Left Front government, led by Chief Minister Manik Sarkar, also had plans to operationalize the airport. The state must now provide land for this purpose.”
Addressing the matter, Chowdhury acknowledged the historical context, stating, “Kailashahar airport was operational until 1989, after which, for unknown reasons, it ceased functioning. The Transport Department has since conducted several site visits and communicated with the District Magistrate of Unakoti, the Director of the Airports Authority of India (AAI), and other relevant officials. However, resettling 111 families from the southern part of the airport area would cost approximately Rs 50 crore, with an additional Rs 350 crore needed to complete the operationalization process. The final decision rests with the central government.”
He further noted that the Ministry of Civil Aviation had conducted surveys and that the Obstacle Limitation Surfaces (OLS) survey could yield the necessary data to proceed with operationalizing Kailashahar airport. “This airport is also listed under the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS),” Chowdhury added, signaling potential future developments for the long-dormant airstrip.
The rising costs of air travel, coupled with the pending decisions surrounding key airports in the state, continue to pose challenges for Tripura’s aviation sector, leaving the state government with the task of ensuring better connectivity and affordability for its people.
