AAI Officials Meet Transport Minister Sushanta Chowdhury; Kailashahar To Have Tripura’s 2nd Airport!
The Tripura government has initiated efforts to rejuvenate the abandoned Kailashahar Airport in Unakoti district to enhance the regional connectivity and boost the local economy.
State Transport Minister Sushanta Chowdhury led this strategic endeavor on August 1, with a visit to the neglected airport, He held extensive discussions with local MLAs and high-ranking officials to outline a plan for the reactivation of the unused airport.
A high-level delegation from the Airport Authority of India, under the Ministry of Civil Aviation of India visited the Kailashahar Airport on September 4. The delegation included eleven members, consisting of operational experts and a technical team, with representatives from Delhi, Guwahati, and Agartala.
After a courtesy meeting with Transport Minister Sushanta Chowdhury, the delegation held a crucial meeting at the State Secretariat.
The discussions covered various aspects of air services, with a significant emphasis on the reopening of the Kailashahar Airport.
Joint General Manager (Civil) Tapas Kumar Dey, North-East Region Joint General Manager Debadulal Chowdhury, AGM (Civil) Headquarters Manoj Bharadwaj, Senior Manager CNS Divya Jyoti Pal, Agartala Airport Director Kailash Chandra Meena, Chief Security Officer and Land In-charge Agartala SK Roy, and the state Transport department Secretary Uttam Kumar Chakma, and Commissioner Subrata Chowdhury were are some key members in this meeting.
Spice Jet and Alliance Air have both shown interest in offering flight services from Kailashahar. However, due to the unavailability of suitable small aircraft from Spice Jet, Alliance Air’s smaller planes are expected to operate on this route, as Kailashahar Airport cannot accommodate larger aircraft.
Notably, the revival of Kailashahar Airport will occur in two phases. The initial phase will focus on rehabilitating the existing runway to accommodate small aircraft. In the subsequent phase, the Airport Authority of India plans to expand the airport, constructing a modern facility with larger runways capable of handling larger aircraft.
The revival of Kailashahar Airport is seen as a significant milestone in the state’s development agenda. Further, re-established Kailashahar airport could serve as a vital aviation hub n the future.
