AGARTALA, July 10 (TIWN): It will be indeed triple celebration of Agartala Airport’s renaming and the 3rd one will be held shortly in the presence of heavyweight central Minister Suresh Prabhu, the Civil Aviation Minister. At first state govt had announced officially about renaming of Airport after Tripura King Bir Bikram Kishore Manikya on March 10 when the first cabinet meeting of the BJP-govt was held. Then on July 4, Central Govt has announced it through cabinet meeting but here it not has been ended. Aviation Minister Suresh Prabhu will come to inaugurate it in grand manner. The date has not been announced yet but on that day the signboard of Agartala Airport will be changed with Maharaja Bir Bikram Kishore Manikya. There was set of celebration on July 4, followed by Central Ministers led cabinet meeting which decided to rename Agartala Airport with Tripura visionary King Maharaja Bir Bikram Kishore Manikya Bahadur. Tripura BJP Observer Sunil Deodhar and Dy CM Jishnu Debbarman tirelessly pushed for Agartala Airport renaming since BJP Govt came into power.

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.