Agartala:
The Tripura government has requested the Airports Authority of India (AAI) to build a new terminal building at Agartala Airport immediately, an official said today.
"The government has already spent Rs 35 crore to acquire 72 acres of land for modernization of the Agartala Airport and the AAI should go ahead with the construction of its new terminal building without any delay," Samarjit Bhowmik, Secretary of Transport Department told reporters.
Mr Bhowmik said the AAI representative at a meeting chaired by DoNER (Department of North Eastern Region) Secretary in New Delhi on April 13 had said that it is yet to get environmental clearance from the Ministry of Environment and Forest but is hopeful of getting it soon.
"The AAI representative said it had planned for construction of a hanger at Agartala Airport and submitted a DPR to DoNER for financial support," he said.
Agartala Airport being the second largest airport in the north east in terms of passenger traffic, he said.
It had around 8 lakh passengers in 2013 and the same had increased to 9 lakh.
On being asked about on the sky-rocketing price of air tickets on the Agartala-Kolkata, Mr Bhowmik said the government had already taken up the issue with the Ministry of Civil Aviation to introduce more flights on the busy route.
"The air ticket, which was sold at Rs 3,500, has been increased to Rs 10,000 due to passenger rush in the Agartala- Kolkata route," he said.