Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha led a high-level review meeting to discuss the reopening of the long-shuttered Kailashahar Airport in Unakoti district. During the meeting, Chief Minister Saha instructed Airports Authority of India (AAI) officials to assess the airport’s condition and recommence flight operations.
He urged the AAI to send a team for an on-site evaluation of Kailashahar Airport, located about 140 km north of Agartala. The Chief Minister also called for a detailed feasibility study comparing Kailashahar, Kamalpur, and Khowai Airports, focusing on factors like land availability and operational constraints.
The review meeting focused on the revival plan for Kailashahar Airport, which has been non-operational for an extended period. Senior AAI officials, including Gyan Batra and Krishnamohan Nehra, discussed necessary measures for the prompt resumption of services. Key topics deliberated included runway expansion and infrastructure enhancement to accommodate larger aircraft.
Based on the feasibility report, the state government plans to collaborate with the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation and other relevant authorities for further actions. A technical team from AAI is set to visit Kailashahar to assess operational and engineering aspects, with both the state government and AAI committed to working closely to reopen the airport.
Transport Department Secretary Uttam Kumar Chakma and Transport Commissioner Subrata Chowdhury were also present at the meeting. Agartala’s Maharaja Bir Bikram Airport, the region’s second busiest airport, plays a crucial role in the Northeast’s air connectivity.
Historian Pannalal Roy highlighted that the land for Agartala, Kailashahar, and other defunct airports in Tripura was donated by the state’s former Royal family. These airports were established during the Second World War to support Allied forces, with Agartala airport facing Japanese air raids in 1943 along the India-Bangladesh border.
