The much awaited international flight services Agartala airport(MBB) will start from the first week of June next connecting Agartala to Chittagong airport in Bangladesh, said Transport Minister Sushanta Chowdhury.

Addressing a press conference at Civil Secretariat on Tuesday afternoon Transport Minister accompanied by  Transport secretary Uttam Kumar Chakma said that after inauguration of international flight services from MBB Airport, the airport will be declared as an international airport through a notification by the Union Civil Aviation Ministry.

He said Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha on April 24th last had a meeting with the Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia and placed number of demands related to strengthening the air connectivity from Tripura and on Tuesday, the Union Civil Aviation Minister through a letter to the Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha said that the Union government has decided to start the international flight from Agartala airport from June first week and the  private airline carrier SpiceJet has given the task to start international flight services from Agartala airport to Chittagong airport in Bangladesh.

He said that Chief Minister during his meeting with Civil Aviation , Dr Saha stressed on resumption of Cargo services from Agartala airport and based on the demand of state government, just two days ago, the cargo services had been started again and private airline carrier Indigo was given the assignment.

He hoped that soon other airlines including Air India will start their cargo services for the greater interest of state’s traders.

Over beginning of night flight services from Agartala airport, Chowdhury said that the Chief Minister had detailed discussion with the Union Minister and the Civil Aviation Ministry has decided to conduct re-survey by an Imphal based origination to start the same. He said that there is a need of 143 CISF jawans through shift of manpower and hoped that all necessary measures would be taken by the Civil Aviation Minister to fulfill the long cherished demand of state people with introduction of night flight services from Agartala airport.

Chowdhury said that the Chief Minister has also placed demand for direct flight services from Agartala-to-Mumbai and Agartala to Hyderabad for easy communication of state’s people and measures to take to opening of Kailashahar airport.

He said that in the letter to the Chief Minister, Scindia said that under UDAN scheme-2, the Kailashahar airport has been listed 33 among 50 airports of the country  to boost up the regional connectivity services(RCS).

Chief Minister has also demanded for construction of six Heliports including in Matabari, Amarpur, Narikel Kunja, Kumpui in Jampuijala etc, said Chowdhury and added that a bronze statue of Maharaja Bir Bikram will be constructed by the state’s Arts and Music college with a cost of Rs. 25 lakh , which will be installed in front of new terminal building of Agartala airport.