CleanupBot II at 10:23, 14 August 2023

2023-08-14T10:23:33Z

New page

{{short description|Airport serving the city of Agartala in Tripura, India}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2022}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2018}}
{{Infobox airport
| location = Singerbhil
| metric-elev = y
| elevation-m = 14
| coordinates = {{Coord|23|53|24|N|091|14|32|E|type:airport|display=inline,title}}
| pushpin_label = '''IXA'''
| r1-length-f = 7,500
| r1-surface = [[Asphalt]]
| metric-rwy = y
| name = Maharaja Bir Bikram Kishore Manikya Airport
| image = Maharaja Bir Bikram Airport, Agartala (New terminal in 2022).png
| caption =
| image-width = 260
| IATA = IXA
| ICAO = VEAT
| pushpin_map = India Tripura#India
| pushpin_map_caption = Location of airport in Tripura
| type = Public
| owner-oper = [[Airports Authority of India]]
| city-served = [[Agartala]], [[Tripura]], [[India]]
| elevation-f = 47
| website = {{URL|https://www.aai.aero/en/airports/agartala|Agartala Airport}}
| r1-number = 18/36
| r1-length-m = 2,286
| stat-year = April 2021 - March 2022
| stat1-header = Passengers
| stat1-data = 9,01,206 ({{increase}}56.2%)
| stat2-header = Aircraft movements
| stat2-data = 8,272 ({{increase}} 63.4%)
| stat3-header = Cargo tonnage
| stat3-data = 3,505 ({{increase}}75.1%)
| footnotes = Source: [[Airport Authority of India|AAI]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Annexure III - Passenger Data|url=https://www.aai.aero/en/business-opportunities/aai-traffic-news|website=www.aai.aero|access-date=19 May 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Annexure II - Aircraft Movement Data|url=https://www.aai.aero/sites/default/files/traffic-news/Mar202kAnnex2.pdf|website=www.aai.aero|access-date=19 May 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Annexure IV - Freight Movement Data|url=https://www.aai.aero/sites/default/files/traffic-news/Mar202kAnnex4.pdf|website=www.aai.aero|access-date=19 May 2021}}</ref>
}}

'''Maharaja Bir Bikram Kishore Manikya Airport''' ([[IATA]]: '''IXA,''' [[ICAO]]: '''VEAT),''' which is used to known as '''Agartala''' '''Airport''',<ref>{{cite web |title=Change of name of Agartala Airport |url=http://egazette.nic.in/WriteReadData/2018/188308.pdf |website=EGazette |publisher=Government of India |access-date=9 August 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/agartala-airport-to-be-named-after-maharaja-bir-bikram-manikya-kishore/article24330340.ece |title=Agartala Airport to be named after Maharaja Bir Bikram Manikya Kishore |newspaper=The Hindu |date=4 July 2018 |access-date=18 February 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Deb |first=Debraj |url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/states/north-east/agartala-airport-to-be-named-after-king/cid/1453829 |title=Agartala airport to be named after king |publisher=Telegraphindia.com |date=30 October 2017 |access-date=18 February 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cnbctv18.com/aviation/agartala-airport-renamed-after-tripuras-last-king-250631.htm |title=Agartala airport renamed Bir Bikram Kishore Manikya, after Tripura's last king |date=4 July 2018 |publisher=cnbctv18.com |access-date=18 February 2020}}</ref>is an [[international airport]] situated 12 kilometres (7 miles) northwest of [[Agartala]], the capital of [[Tripura]]. It is administered by the [[Airports Authority of India]] (AAI).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://airportsindia.org.in/allAirports/agartala_generalinfo.jsp|title=Civil Airport Agartala|website=airportsindia.org.in|access-date=2 August 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071105151636/http://airportsindia.org.in/allAirports/agartala_generalinfo.jsp|archive-date=5 November 2007|url-status=dead}}</ref> It is the second busiest airport in [[Northeast India|North-East India]] after [[Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport|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 new 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.

==History==

The airport was designed and built in 1942 by the then Maharaja of Tripura, [[Bir Bikram Kishore Debbarman|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 [[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]].<ref>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}}</ref>

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 Airport|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 International Airport|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 [[Narendra Modi|Prime Minister Narendra Modi]] on 4 January 2022.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Ali|first=Syed Sajjad|date=4 January 2022|title=PM Modi opens new terminal building at Agartala airport|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/pm-modi-opens-new-terminal-building-at-agartala-airport/article38109565.ece|access-date=4 January 2022|issn=0971-751X}}</ref> After becoming operational, flights from Agartala to [[Shah Amanat International Airport|Chittagong]]<ref>{{Cite web|title=International Flights From India's Agartala To Bangkok, Bangladesh To Start Operation Soon {{!}} Details Here|url=https://www.india.com/business/international-flights-latest-news-today-15-january-2022-flights-from-indias-agartala-to-bangkok-bangladesh-to-start-operation-soon-air-travel-air-bubble-vande-bharat-mission-5188085/|access-date=16 January 2022|website=India.com|date=15 January 2022}}</ref> and likely to [[Changi Airport|Singapore]] will be operated.<ref>{{Cite news |agency=ANI |title=Tripura likely to get international flights to Singapore, Chittagong, Dhaka |url=https://www.newkerala.com/news/2021/174360.htm |access-date=27 December 2021 |work=newkerala.com}}</ref>

==Airlines and destinations==

{{Airport-dest-list
| [[Air India]]| [[Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport|Kolkata]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.airindia.in/time-table.htm|title=Air India Timetable|work=Air India|access-date=12 January 2020}}</ref>

| [[Akasa Air]]| [[Kempegowda International Airport|Bangalore]], [[Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport|Guwahati]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Akasa Air Flight Network|url=https://www.akasaair.com/fly-with-akasa/flight-schedule|website=Akasa Air|access-date=21 October 2022}}</ref>

| [[FlyBig]]<ref name="FlyBig">{{cite web |title=FlyBig Flight Schedule|url= https://flybig.in/documents/20221028_S9_Winter%20Schedule%202022_Network.pdf |access-date=5 December 2022}}</ref> | [[Dibrugarh Airport |Dibrugarh]], [[Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport|Kolkata]], [[Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport|Guwahati]]

| [[IndiGo]]| [[Aizawl Airport|Aizawl]], [[Kempegowda International Airport|Bangalore]], [[Indira Gandhi International Airport|Delhi]], [[Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport|Guwahati]], [[Imphal International Airport|Imphal]], [[Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport|Kolkata]], [[Shillong Airport|Shillong]]
}}

==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 airplane was later written off.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.aviation-safety.net/database/airport/airport.php?id=IXA |title=Agartala-Singerbhil Airport profile |first=Harro |last=Ranter |website=Aviation Safety Network |access-date=11 May 2022}}</ref>

==See also==

* [[Airports in India]]
* [[List of busiest airports in India by passenger traffic]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://www.aai.aero/en/airports/agartala Maharaja Bir Bikram Airport] at [[Airports Authority of India]]

{{Airports in India}}
{{Indian Air Force}}

[[Category:Agartala]]
[[Category:Airfields of the United States Army Air Forces in British India]]
[[Category:Airports in Tripura]]
[[Category:Airports established in 1942]]
[[Category:1942 establishments in India]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Agartala]]
[[Category:World War II sites in India]]
[[Category:Transport in Agartala]]

Maharaja Bir Bikram Airport - Revision history

CleanupBot II at 10:23, 14 August 2023