The Central Government on Wednesday decided to rename the airport in Agartala as Maharaja Bir Bikram Manikya Kishore Airport.

The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, on Wednesday gave its approval to rename the Agartala Airport in Tripura as ‘Maharaja Bir Bikram Manikya Kishore Airport, Agartala. The decision comes in the wake of the long pending demand of people of Tripura as well as the Tripura Government for paying tribute to Maharaja Bir Bikram Manikya Kishore.

It may be mentioned here that renaming of the airport in Tripura after the King was one of the poll promises of the BJP, who came to power in the State this year. Maharaja Bir Bikram Manikya Kishore, who ascended the throne of the erstwhile Tripura Princely State in 1923, was an enlightened and benevolent ruler.

The Agartala Airport was constructed in 1942 on the land donated by Maharaja Bir Bikram Manikya Kishore. 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 that has evolved as the second busiest airport in the North East and provides crucial air connectivity to Tripura.

Expressing his happiness over the Central Government’s decision, veteran BJP leader Sunil Deodhar said that it is apt to rename the Agartala airport after the Maharaja, who was a visionary leader. “It is only justified and deserving to rename the airport after the Maharaja as he was a visionary leader. The Maharaja Bir Bikram Manikya Kishore is known for the developments works in the State.

Both the Congress and Communists who had ruled the state for last 70 years have failed to initiate even half of the works done by the Maharaja between 1927 to 1947,” said Deodhar, who was the man behind BJP’s astounding victory in Tripura.

“It was one of the poll promises of the BJP in the State and I also congratulate the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister of Tripura, who on the first Cabinet meeting of the new  Government took the resolution to rename the airport after the Maharaja and sent the proposal to Central Government,” Deodhar said.