Tripura MP seeks international status, immigration check post for Agartala airport

Tripura Lok Sabha Member of Parliament Biplab Kumar Deb on July 25 sought the Union Civil Aviation Minister’s intervention in declaring Tripura's Maharaja Bir Bikram Airport (MBB) as an international airport and to notify the immigration check post.

While addressing the Lower House, Deb told the Speaker of the House, Om Birla, that he wanted to draw the attention of the Union Civil Aviation Minister to the fact that the MBB airport, the lone airport of Tripura, is an important gateway for the people of the Northeast.

“In 2022, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the new terminal building. As per the latest updates, it has a capacity of 1200 passengers, including domestic and international travellers. It has 20 check-in counters. To start the Agartala-Chittagong flight services, the Tripura government has already given Rs 18.85 crores to the Airport Authority of India. The MBB airport has the facility of an Instrument Landing System and ground lighting is also available,” said Deb.

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He further mentioned that the Ministry of Finance, Government of India, had declared it as a Customs Checkpost on January 4, 2023.

However, he added that the announcement from the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, regarding the immigration check post at the airport is still awaited.

Deb urged the Speaker to ask the Civil Aviation Minister to talk to the Home Ministry and notify the immigration check post at the MBB airport soon and prioritize the process of declaring it as an international airport. 

He said that this would benefit the people of Tripura and the northeastern region as a whole.