The union government has given its go ahead to rename Agartala airport in Tripura as Maharaja Bir Bikram Manikya Kishore Airport, Agartala.

The government has taken the decision to fulfill the long pending demand of people of Tripura as well as the Tripura government for paying tribute to Maharaja Bir Bikram Manikya Kishore.

Notably, Maharaja Bir Bikram Manikya Kishore, who ascended the throne of the erstwhile Tripura Princely State in 1923, was an enlightened and benevolent ruler.

Agartala airport was constructed in 1942 on the land donated by the Maharaja. As a visionary ruler, who had travelled extensively across the globe, he took several steps for the all-round development of Tripura. Due to his initiative, an aerodrome at Agartala was constructed which later evolved as the second busiest airport in the north east and provides crucial air connectivity to Tripura.