Agartala, 16th September 2026 : The possibility of reopening Kailashahar Airport in Tripura’s Unakoti district for commercial flight operations has gained momentum, with two small airlines reportedly submitting proposals to operate services from the airport.
Maharaja Bir Bikram Airport Director Krishnan Mohan Nehra said on Wednesday that the airport authority is examining the proposals and a final decision on starting operations would be taken soon.
Speaking to reporters at a press conference on the upcoming ‘Swachhta Hi Seva’ and ‘Yatri Sewa Abhiyan 2026’, Nehra said Kailashahar Airport could initially accommodate smaller aircraft. However, larger aircraft would require additional land and infrastructure.
“Once the airlines give their consent to operate, we will take steps to operationalise the airport. Two airlines have already submitted proposals,” he said.
According to Nehra, around 205 acres of additional land has been sought from the Tripura government to facilitate the operation of bigger aircraft at the airport.
Meanwhile, the MBB Airport authorities are also making efforts to prevent any reduction in flight connectivity from Agartala. Nehra said letters have been sent to the CEOs of all airlines requesting them to continue their services from the state capital.
He said decisions by airlines to reduce or withdraw flights are largely influenced by commercial factors, including aircraft availability and maintenance requirements.
“We have requested all the airlines not to withdraw their services from Agartala. We are making efforts to ensure passenger availability, and the state government has also raised the matter with the Union Civil Aviation Ministry,” Nehra said.
MBB Airport presently handles up to 14 arrivals and 14 departures daily, with passenger movement averaging around 4,500 per day. The figure is expected to touch nearly 6,000 daily during the festival season.
The airport director also announced that the ‘Swachhta Hi Seva’ campaign would be observed from September 17 to October 2, while the ‘Yatri Sewa Abhiyan 2026’ would continue till October 10. Several cleanliness, passenger-service and awareness activities will be organised during the campaigns.
