AGARTALA, April 23 (TIWN): Hike in the passenger airfare leading to the problem of air ticket crisis in the State. However, State had again demanded for the schedule of 12 more flights to connect Tripura with other parts of the world.

Due to the air ticket crisis, many critical patients who have been referred to Kolkata for better treatment are stranded at Agartala Govt Medical College (AGMC) and Tripura Medical College (TMC) due to the sudden shortage of air tickets. People of Tripura are facing immense problems because of withdrawal of Jet Airways and irregular service of Spice Jet. “One of the main reasons as cited by them is due to excessive taxation in aviation fuel by the State Government which is now 18.90 per cent being reduced from 22 per cent”,an official stated.

Noting that hundreds of people mainly patients and students are stranded due to air ticket crisis, he said, taking the advantage of the huge rush, the service providers like Indigo and Air India have hiked the fares which is beyond the reach of common people.

It is to be mentioned that at present, Agartala has direct flights with Imphal, Guwahati, Kolkata, Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Ahmadabad, Hyderabad and Bangalore. However, the state government has been persuading AAI for air connectivity with Dhaka and other northeastern capitals and Tripura 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.

Besides that, AAI has taken up an ambitious Rs 427 crore project to develop Agartala airport to an international standard. Also, a modern Air Traffic Control tower is being set up at a cost of Rs 10 crore

Tripura being surrounded by Bangladesh on three sides, people have no other quick alternative but to avail air routes. There is need of taking steps in solving the problem and ensure arrangement for additional flights in Agartala-Kolkata route till normalcy is restored.