BY TC News Desk
Agartala, 25th July 2024: On Thursday, Tripura Lok Sabha Member of Parliament Biplab Kumar Deb sought the intervention of the Union Civil Aviation Minister to designate Tripura’s Maharaja Bir Bikram (MBB) Airport as an international airport and to officially notify it as an immigration check post.
Addressing the Lower House, Deb brought this matter to the attention of Speaker Om Birla, emphasizing the strategic importance of MBB airport, the sole airport in Tripura, as a critical gateway for the people of the Northeast.
“In 2022, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the new terminal building. The terminal, now equipped to handle 1,200 passengers including both domestic and international travelers, features 20 check-in counters. The Tripura government has already allocated Rs 18.85 crores to the Airport Authority of India to commence Agartala-Chittagong flight services. The MBB airport is also outfitted with an Instrument Landing System and ground lighting facilities,” Deb highlighted.
He noted that while the Ministry of Finance declared the airport a Customs Checkpost on January 4, 2023, the Ministry of Home Affairs has yet to announce the establishment of an immigration check post.
Deb appealed to the Speaker to urge the Civil Aviation Minister to engage with the Home Ministry to expedite the notification of the immigration check post and prioritize the airport’s designation as an international facility. He asserted that these changes would significantly benefit the people of Tripura and the broader northeastern region.
