AGARTALA, July 4 (TIWN): With historical mark Central Govt’s cabinet has nodded for the renaming of Agartala Airport after Tripura’s visionary King Maharaja Bir Bikram Manikya Bahadur. Amid cheers and enthusiasm, huge numbers of BJP supporters and common people have gathered at Agartala Airport today afternoon to welcome Chief Minister Biplab Deb and Deputy Chief Minister Jishnu Debbarma who are returning from New Delhi after successful making a successful visit at there. CM, Deputy CM will be welcome shortly at there in grand manner at Agartala Airport today after Central Govt led cabinet had approved the renaming of Agartala Airport as Maharaja Bir Bikram Manikya Bahadur Airport, who is the actual creator of this Airport. Due to Maharaja Bir Bikram’s invention of Airports in Tripura during war times also Central Govt was able to send armies on that time.

BJP before coming in power promised to rename Agartala Airport’s name as Maharaja Bir Bikram Kishore Manikya Airport and today one of the pre-poll promises has been fulfilled.

The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday renamed the Agartala airport after Tripura's last ruler Maharaja Bir Bikram Kishore Manikya, said an official.

The decision comes in the wake of a long-pending demand of the people of Tripura as well as the state government to rename the airport after Bir Bikram Kishore Manikya as a tribute to the last ruler of the princely (1923-1947). After several hundred years of rule by 184 kings, Tripura merged with the Indian union in October 1949.

In 1942, the king constructed the airport, which played a crucial role in the Second World War. The Agartala airport, earlier known as Singerbill Airport, is located 20 km north of the capital city and sits along the Bangladesh border.

An official release said the Agartala airport is the second busiest airport in the northeastern India and provides crucial air connectivity in the region linking Kolkata and other major airports in the country.

Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb, who returned to the state on Wednesday evening from the national capital, thanked the Prime Minister for renaming the Agartala airport after Tripura's last king.