AGARTALA, January 20 (TIWN): Uncertainty prevails over the extension of the Agartala airport with the inordinate delay by Ministry of Civil Aviation. Environmental clearance (EC) report has not been made so far and the Ministry of Civil Aviation had already wasted much period of time on the commissioning of the project work, said State Transport Secretary Samarjit Bhowmik. Talking to TIWN at the civil secretariat the state Transport Secretary Samarjit Bhowmik said that,when the Tripura govt. has already winded up with every procedure for the extension of the Agartala airport, on the other hand the Ministry of Civil Aviation has been delaying on the commissioning of the project. Therefore it will take another 6 to 8 months for framing the report, said Bhowmik. Besides, the project has not been sanctioned yet, informed Mr. Bhowmik. Coming down heavily on the delay of the commissioning of the project work, said that the Ministry of Civil Aviation has been seeking for an additional land for the car parking and other facilities as part of the extension of the Agartala airport, while the state govt. has already given them 72 acres of land amongst which 10.6 acres of land for the construction of the Terminal building during the first phase and 62 acres of land for the construction of runway.

Ministry of Civil Aviation has caused  a major delay in preparing the environmental clearance report. The report has not been framed till date.

 “The Ministry of Civil Aviation seeks more 11 acres of land for the extension of the Agartala airport, but we have asked them to start the first phase work at least”, said Bhowmik.

Earlier Mr. Bhowmik asked the Director of AAI to make it at least 10 acres of land (additional) especially for the car parking, and asked the official to take 7 acres from the existing Agartala airport staff quarter complex and for 3 acres of land for building up power plant and car parking facilities.

Mr. Bhowmik further added that recently he held a meeting with the Director of the AAI and asked him to restore their further delay and start the commissioning work of the project of the extension of the Agartala airport soon.

However, at least 157 families fell under the land acquisition and they had already been given their compensation as per the new Land Acquisition Act.

Agartala airport is the second busiest in the northeast region after Guwahati airport in Assam. At least 22 flights operate to and from Agartala every day, carrying about 2,700 passengers.

The Agartala airport would be the third international standard airport after the Guwahati and Imphal airports. Imphal's Tulihal airport was recently declared as an international airport after its modernisation.

The Agartala airport modernisation 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 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.