Improvement in air connectivity: Govt

Agartla, Nov 20: The Tripura government has strongly demanded the Centre to rejuvenate Kailashahar and Kamalpur airports and modernise Agartala airport.

Speaking at the 53rd North Eastern Council (NEC) meeting at New Delhi, Chief Minister Manik Sarkar said the two abandoned airports in North and Dhalai districts should be operated to improve the air connectivity of the state with the rest of the country, sources here said.

Earlier, both the Kailashahar and Kamalpur airports had regular flights but the Civil Aviation Ministry had suspended the operation for unknown reasons, they added.

Mr Sarkar said, keeping in view the state's pelculiar geographical location, air transport had a special significance for this landlocked state and hence it was take initiatives in improving the flights services regularly.

He also demanded the Centre to modernise the Agartala airport along with others in the NE region with provisions for cargo handling facilities as these were the important mode of connectivity.

''Our state has the second largest air traffic in NE after Guwahati,'' Mr Sarkar said adding that despite constant persuasion of the state government the air services here continues to be erratic.

'' It is also a sad that despite several assurances by the Indian (Airlines) authorities, Airbus 319 facility had not yet been made available in the state, Mr Sarkar regretted.

UNI