AGARTALA, November 23 (TIWN): Transport Minister Manik Dey along with In-charge Director General of Police of Tripura K. Nagaraj, Superintendent of Police (SP) West Bijoy Kumar Nag, District Magistrate of West Tripura Abhishek Singh and SMD Manik Lal Das today visited the upcoming construction site of Agartala International Airport Terminal building, here today.According to sources, during the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 1, the state government is planning to invite the PM Narendra Modi to lay the foundation stone of the Agartala International Airport Terminal building.The Ministry of Civil Aviation, Government of India is likely to floor the tender of upgradation of Agartala Airport project within next 3 to 4 months said a highly placed source of secretariat. The Terminal building will be taken on the first phase of construction and the construction of Runway Street will be taken up on the second phase.

Around 10.6 acres of land had been made available for the construction of the Terminal building during the first phase and 62 acres of land for the construction of Runway Street during the second phase, the source added.

The Department of North-Eastern Region (DoNER) will provide the fund for it. But most importantly the Environmental Clearance report and the Detailed Project Report (DPR) will be submitted within a few months for the construction of the terminal building, the source added.

It is to be mentioned here that, the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Government of India asked for a total of 107 acres of land for the up-gradation of the Agartala airport into an international airport.  

But on a meeting with Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar during the year 2013 at least 72 acres of land had been finalized, where 18 acres of land are under khash land and rest  are under jyot land. Beside at least 157 families fell under the land acquisition and they had already been given their compensation as per the new Land Acquisition Act, the source further mentioned.  

The Agartala airport modernization project involves upgrading of the runway and aprons, construction of six aerobridges, three elevators and two escalators besides walkways to connect the international arrival and departure levels, the source mentioned.

The airports are being made international as part of India's "Look East" policy to boost the northeast region's connectivity and trade with Southeast Asia.