Tripura Transport minister urges Centre to set up Civil Aviation Security office in Agartala

Agartala: Tripura Transport minister Sushanta Chowdhury has urged Civil Aviation minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu to establish an office of the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) in Agartala. In his letter, Chowdhury highlighted the imminent establishment of 17 new BCAS offices across India.

Chowdhury said that Maharaja Bir Bikram (MBB) Airport in Agartala is the second busiest airport in Northeast India, following Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International (LGBI) Airport in Guwahati. The MBB Airport handles approximately 1.3 million passengers annually. The new terminal building, inaugurated by the Prime Minister on January 4, 2022, meets modern international standards.

The minister also noted that the infrastructure for international flights between Agartala and Chittagong, Bangladesh, is ready and awaiting approval from the ministry.

He pointed out that all entities operating at MBB Airport, including airlines, businesses, contractors, and fuel suppliers, require clearance from the BCAS.

Despite the available facilities, Tripura lacks a BCAS office. Chowdhury urged the Union Minister to sanction a new regional office in Agartala at the earliest, considering the airport's significance and needs.