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CM Reviews Plan to Revive Kailashahar Airport

  • By Thetripurapost Desk, Agartala
  • Feb 21, 2026
  • 633

A high-level strategic review meeting was convened today under the chairmanship of Tripura Chief Minister Prof. (Dr.) Manik Saha to deliberate on the revival of the long-defunct Kailashahar Airport and the resumption of commercial flight operations.
The meeting, held at the Chief Minister’s official residence, focused extensively on the comprehensive roadmap for reactivating the airport, which has remained non-operational for a considerable period. Among those present were Shri Gyan Batra, Executive Director (North Eastern Region) of the Airports Authority of India, and Krishna Mohan Nehra, the newly appointed Director of Maharaja Bir Bikram Airport, who paid a courtesy call on the Chief Minister before participating in the review discussions.
The deliberations centred on expediting the resolution of outstanding administrative, technical, and infrastructural issues to facilitate the earliest possible resumption of flight services from Kailashahar. Key agenda items included the operational reinstatement of scheduled flights, runway expansion planning, modernization of airport infrastructure, and augmentation of capacity to accommodate larger aircraft, including Airbus-class operations.
In a forward-looking directive, the Chief Minister urged the Airports Authority of India to deploy a technical and operational assessment team to Kailashahar for an on-site evaluation. The team has been tasked with examining land-related constraints, regulatory compliances, and other critical technical parameters essential for operational viability.
Furthermore, he called for the immediate submission of a comprehensive comparative feasibility study examining Agartala’s Maharaja Bir Bikram Airport alongside Kailashahar, Kamalpur, and Khowai airports. The proposed study is expected to present a rigorous analysis of commercial sustainability, technical feasibility, and financial implications, clearly delineating the comparative advantages and constraints of each facility. Upon receipt of the report, the state government intends to initiate structured consultations with the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation and other relevant central authorities to determine the appropriate course of action.
Officials from the Airports Authority of India informed the meeting that a technical team would shortly undertake a detailed field inspection to assess the operational and infrastructural requirements. Both the State Government and the AAI reaffirmed their commitment to collaborative coordination aimed at restoring Kailashahar Airport to functional status.
According to a press release issued by the State Transport Department, the meeting was also attended by Transport Secretary Uttam Kumar Chakma, Transport Commissioner Subrata Chowdhury, and former Director of Agartala Airport Kailash Chandra Meena.