AGARTALA, June 1 (TIWN): Rs. 426 crore scheduled be spent to on the project work for upgradation work of Agartala airport into international standards. The Chairman of AAI, R.K. Srivastava during his recent May 29 visit to the state and after meeting Chief Minister Manik Sarkar, has said that the Agartala airport to be upgraded into international standards soon. Whereas, the transport department officials of the state alongwith Minister Manik Dey expressing displeasure over the delay of the work urged the AAI to undertake the project work soon. State Transport Secretary Samarjit Bhowmik while talking to TIWN said, “Inspite of providing them with sufficient land the AAI had unnecessarily delayed the work.” Adding to that he said that a total of 72 acres of land had already been acquired by the state government and was handed over to AAI for expansion of the runway. But what makes it interesting is that in spite of giving them sufficient land as was demanded for the construction of the runway the AAI is again demanding for another additional land. However, following this Bhowmik expressing displeasure said, 'AAI is supposed to take up the construction work but instead they have been demanding additional land for the car parking facilities'.

During their visit AAI Chairman Srivastava said, “AAI would now recruit consultant and would frame the design of the international standard Agartala airport.” But, this has once again proved that the AAI is reluctant to start the construction work because even after a long halt since the land has already been handed over the AAI is now looking forward to frame the design and also would recruit the consultant.

"All preliminary works have been completed. We will soon engage a project consultant to make Agartala airport world class," Srivastava said to the media.

But it would be wise enough to comment here that the preliminary works have been completed by the state govt. here by providing 72 acres of land and are now looking forward for another land acquisition as was demanded by the AAI.

Srivastava said that the Northeastern Council of India will bear the cost of the project along with the AAI, adding that the Tripura Government has already handed over the required land.

The senior official, who arrived here after visiting Mizoram and Manipur, said that the AAI had already upgraded the Imphal airport to an international status.

He added that other abandoned as well as operational airports in the northeastern states will be developed after studying the viabilities, but currently there is no major airport-related project in the northeastern region.

AAI 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  arefor the construction of the Terminal building during the first phase; and 62 acres of land for the construction of Runway Street.

According to the official state govt. has already spent a total of Rs. 35 crore for the project work. State government has allotted about 72 acres of land to Airports Authority of India (AAI) to facilitate the Rs 300-crore Agartala airport up gradation project.

157 families were displaced from the southern and western part of the city airport. The families have been shifted to the land that AAI had abandoned on the other side of the airport, along with a total cash compensation of Rs 30 crore.