Work for new terminal building of Agartala airport would begin within six months as part of creating infrastructure to upgrade it to an international airport.
This was informed by chairman of Airports Authority of India (AAI) to Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar during a meeting in New Delhi, officials said in Agartala on Monday.
The new terminal building would be at least double its present size and the size of the apron would be four times bigger than the current size, Civil Aviation Secretary K N Srivastava had said in Agartala last month.
Agartala airport would be elevated to the status of an international airport by two-and-a-half years, he had said.
Mr. Sarkar had pressed for this demand when he called on Civil Aviation minister Ajit Singh on Friday.
The upgrading of the airport would improve connectivity to Dhaka and Chittagong of neighbouring Bangladesh, which in turn, will improve Indo-Bangla trade, Mr. Sarkar had said in a memorandum to Mr. Singh.
The AAI will invest Rs 250 crore to create infrastructure like expansion of runways, making aprons for accommodating 15 aircraft, modern terminal building, parking places and air traffic control towers.
The present airport is set up on 70-acre land and additional 107.46 acres would be acquired for which 140 families would be shifted and rehabilitated.
Mr. Sarkar said the airport has already functioned as an international airport when Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had visited Agartala last year.
