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Maharaja Bir Bikram Airport

Coordinates: 23°53′24″N 091°14′32″E / 23.89000°N 91.24222°E / 23.89000; 91.24222
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Maharaja Bir Bikram Airport
Summary
Airport typePublic
Owner/OperatorAirports Authority of India
ServesAgartala
LocationSingerbhil, Agartala, Tripura, India
Opened1942; 82 years ago (1942)
Elevation AMSL14 m / 47 ft
Coordinates23°53′24″N 091°14′32″E / 23.89000°N 91.24222°E / 23.89000; 91.24222
WebsiteAgartala Airport
Map
IXA is located in Tripura
IXA
IXA
Location of airport in Tripura
IXA is located in India
IXA
IXA
IXA (India)
Map
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
18/36 2,286 7,500 Asphalt
Statistics (April 2023 - March 2024)
Passengers1,470,670 (Increase 6.1%)
Aircraft movements10,906 (Decrease 10.6%)
Cargo tonnage3,024 (Decrease 26.6%)
Source: AAI[1][2][3]

Maharaja Bir Bikram Airport (IATA: IXA, ICAO: VEAT), also known as Agartala Airport,[4][5][6][7] is an international airport[8] situated 12 kilometres (7 miles) northwest of Agartala, the capital of Tripura. It is administered by the Airports Authority of India (AAI).[9] It is the second busiest airport in North-East India after Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi Airport in Guwahati and 29th busiest airport in India. It is the third international airport in North-East India, after Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi Airport and Imphal Airport.

The current integrated terminal of the airport has 20 check-in counters, six parking bays, four aerobridges, conveyor belts and passenger-friendly modern facilities and amenities like In-Line Baggage System (ILBS), Escalators, Lifts, etc. In addition to the new terminal building, a new parallel taxiway to the runway and two new hangars are being built. Another terminal, along with the runway, will be built as an extension of the airport across the border with Bangladesh. This new terminal will serve Bangladeshis accessing the airport without having to enter Indian territory. This arrangement is worked out as similar to the Cross Border Xpress terminal of Tijuana International Airport in Mexico, which is located along the United States–Mexico border.[10]

History

The airport was designed and built in 1942 by the then Maharaja of Tripura, Bir Bikram Kishore Manikya Bahadur Debbarman. It had one primary runway, 05/23, which is now used as a taxiway to Runway 18/36.

During World War II, the airport was used by the RAF nos.31 and 194 Squadrons in February/March 1943 as a supply base for the Chindit operations behind enemy lines in Burma.[11] These Squadrons returned in February 1944 to provide support to the second Chindit operation. Later the 4th Combat Cargo Group (4th CCG) of the United States Army Air Forces Tenth Air Force, flying Curtiss C-46 Commando transport aircraft over Burma.[12] The 4th CCG operated from the airport during December 1944 and January 1945, after which it moved to Chittagong.

The airport experienced international operations when Indian Airlines flew to Dhaka-Tejgaon Airport and Jessore in East Pakistan/Bangladesh from Agartala.

Development and expansion

Airports Authority of India (AAI) decided to upgrade the airport to international standards, which will be the third international airport in North-East region after Imphal. The AAI has undertaken ₹438 crore (US$61 million) project to upgrade the airport to provide world-class facilities. The State Government has already provided 72 acres (29 ha) land to AAI to build a new terminal building, runway and other necessary infrastructure. The upgrade is expected to be completed by 2025, out of which the new terminal is completed, and it was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 4 January 2022.[13] After becoming operational, flights from Agartala to Chittagong[14] and likely to Singapore will be operated.[15]

Proposal of Bangladesh expansion

The Indian government has suggested leasing some land from Bangladesh in order to install perimeter fences and landing lights.[16] The airport is often used by Bangladeshi travellers and if further utilised by Bangladesh, may be able to help relieve the heavy passenger and cargo traffic at Dhaka Airport. The Bangladeshi government is considering the matter; Bangladeshi FM Shahidul Haque compared the proposal to that of Geneva Airport, which is accessible from Switzerland and France. Ministers within Bangladesh's ruling Awami League suggested the only way such a proposal would be politically acceptable to Bangladesh is if a joint venture was proposed.[17]

Airlines and destinations

AirlinesDestinations
Air India Kolkata[18]
Air India Express[19] Guwahati, Kolkata (both begin 1 September 2024)
Akasa Air[20] Bangalore, Guwahati
IndiGo Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, Guwahati, Hyderabad (begins 23 September 2024),[21] Imphal, Kolkata, Shillong

Statistics

Annual passenger traffic at IXA airport. See Wikidata query.

Accidents and incidents

  • 7 June 1970: A Fokker F27 of Indian Airlines flying with 34 passengers and 4 crew members overran the runway at Agartala after it touched down at a higher than normal speed 2,775 feet from the threshold; however, none of the passengers or crew members died. The aeroplane was later written off.[22]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Annexure III – Passenger Data" (PDF). aai.aero. Retrieved 21 April 2024.
  2. ^ "Annexure II – Aircraft Movement Data" (PDF). aai.aero. Retrieved 21 April 2024.
  3. ^ "Annexure IV – Freight Movement Data" (PDF). aai.aero. Retrieved 21 April 2024.
  4. ^ "Change of name of Agartala Airport" (PDF). EGazette. Government of India. Retrieved 9 August 2018.
  5. ^ "Agartala Airport to be named after Maharaja Bir Bikram Manikya Kishore". The Hindu. 4 July 2018. Retrieved 18 February 2020.
  6. ^ Deb, Debraj (30 October 2017). "Agartala airport to be named after king". Telegraphindia.com. Retrieved 18 February 2020.
  7. ^ "Agartala airport renamed Bir Bikram Kishore Manikya, after Tripura's last king". cnbctv18.com. 4 July 2018. Retrieved 18 February 2020.
  8. ^ "Agartala airport set to launch international flight services after Centre's immigration clearance". CNBC. PTI. 31 May 2023. Retrieved 14 September 2023.
  9. ^ "Civil Airport Agartala". airportsindia.org.in. Archived from the original on 5 November 2007. Retrieved 2 August 2009.
  10. ^ "India asks Bangladesh for land to expand Agartala airport runway". India TV. 7 August 2019. Retrieved 24 April 2023.
  11. ^ "Squadron Operational Record Books". Nartional Archives reference AIR 27/1159/3. 28 February 1943. Retrieved 18 December 2023.
  12. ^ Maurer, Maurer. Air Force Combat Units of World War II. Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama: Office of Air Force History, 1983. ISBN 0-89201-092-4
  13. ^ Ali, Syed Sajjad (4 January 2022). "PM Modi opens new terminal building at Agartala airport". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
  14. ^ "International Flights From India's Agartala To Bangkok, Bangladesh To Start Operation Soon | Details Here". India.com. 15 January 2022. Retrieved 16 January 2022.
  15. ^ "Tripura likely to get international flights to Singapore, Chittagong, Dhaka". newkerala.com. ANI. Retrieved 27 December 2021.
  16. ^ "New Age | the Outspoken Daily".
  17. ^ "Agartala Airport: India wants Bangladesh land for an expansion". 2 August 2019.
  18. ^ "Air India Timetable". Air India. Retrieved 12 January 2020.
  19. ^ "Our Network". Air India Express. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  20. ^ "Akasa Air Flight Network". Akasa Air. Retrieved 24 April 2024.
  21. ^ "IndiGo Aug – Oct 2024 Domestic Network Additions". Aeroroutes. Retrieved 15 August 2024.
  22. ^ Ranter, Harro. "Agartala-Singerbhil Airport profile". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 11 May 2022.
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