Passengers and airport staff at Maharaja Bir Bikram Airport in Agartala are often facing severe inconvenience due to the alleged misconduct of a section of auto-rickshaw drivers operating from inside and outside the airport premises.
Considering the daily disputes due to misconduct by a section of auto-rickshaw drivers, in the last budget session of Tripura Assembly held on March, 2026 last Transport Minister Sushanta Chowdhury replying to the ‘Private Member’s Resolutions’ , raised by the chief whip of the Assembly, Kalyani Saha Roy, said that online cab booking services will soon be launched at Maharaja Bir Bikram (MBB) Airport in Agartala and the Agartala Railway Station and to thoroughly examine the matter, a committee has been formed comprising the Transport Secretary, senior officials of the state police, Traffic SP, and other concerned authorities.
In the Assembly, Kalyani Saha Roy raised the private member’s resolution, suggesting that just like other airports in the country and in line with smart city standards, Agartala—being the state capital—should introduce online cab booking facilities at both MBB Airport and Agartala Railway Station to ensure better passenger services for incoming and outgoing travelers.
But, after passing of two months, the Transport department failed to launch the online services , particularly for auto-rickshaw from Agartala airport, which causing tremendous hardship of passengers, tourists and they often being a subject of atrocities committed by a section of auto-rickshaw drivers.
According to complaints, several auto drivers become intoxicated during the evening hours and allegedly behave abusively with arriving passengers as well as airport employees. Incidents of demanding exorbitant fares and obstructing passengers from boarding pre-paid vehicles have reportedly become a regular occurrence.
Passengers alleged that after exiting the airport, auto drivers often ignore the government-approved fare chart and demand several times the normal fare for reaching designated destinations. If anyone protests or attempts to use autos booked through online platforms from Agartala city with the destination of the airport, groups of drivers allegedly surround them, verbally abuse them, and even threaten physical assault.
Sources also claimed that some airport staff members have faced harassment from these allegedly intoxicated drivers.
Victims and concerned citizens have appealed to the Agartala Airport police station and Tripura Transport Minister Sushanta Chowdhury to intervene and restore order in the area.
Although the minister had previously issued strict warnings against such “hooliganism” and introduced prepaid auto services at the airport to improve passenger convenience, complainants say the situation has shown little improvement.
There is now a growing demand for strict legal action against the accused drivers in order to ensure passenger safety and protect the tourism image of Tripura.