AGARTALA, February 1 (TIWN): Tripura Transport department on its recent drive for the Agartala airport expansion work, has sent an invitation to the Ministry of Civil Aviation Govt. of India to lay the foundation stone of the airport expansion work on February, said the official of Tripura transport department recently to TIWN.

Talking to TIWN recently the official of the state transport department said that when the state govt. has been looking forward for the fast in progress work of the Agartala airport expansion project work, on the other the Ministry of Civil Aviation has been delaying with their preface work. Recently the department has sent an invitation to the Ministry of civil aviation to lay a foundation stone here in Tripura for the Agartala airport expansion work on February, the official told to TIWN.

Earlier talking to TIWN official of the transport department had expressed his displeasure over the delay of the airport expansion work here in Tripura. The official said that the state govt. has already done on its part for the project work, but the Ministry of civil aviation has been delaying their preface work and has always asking for an additional land for the parking facilities and others at the new airport. Though of course, the state govt. has already given 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 Street, said the official. “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”, official said.

According to the official the Ministry of Civil Aviation has made a major delay in preparing the environmental clearance report. The report has not been framed till date. Therefore it will take another 6 to 8 months for framing the EC report, said the official. The official 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.

However, but it is mentionable here that Uncertainty prevails on the extension of the Agartala airport with the delay of the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Govt. of India.  The environmental clearance report has not been made so far and the Ministry of Civil Aviation has already wasted much period of time on the commissioning of the project work.