Union Minister V K Singh meets Tripura CM

During the meeting Singh also stressed on construction of proper drainage system to ensure long life of the roads as the state witnesses substantial rainfall during monsoons, Tripura said.The MP said he had raised the issue of setting up a new airport at Kailashahar in Unakoti district to which the union minister said the civil aviation ministry will look into it seriously if the state provides the required land for it.

Union Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways and Civil Aviation V K Singh called on Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha in his office here on Tuesday and discussed enhancing connectivity with Bangladesh.

Later, Saha posted in his Facebook page "The Union Minister met me on a courtesy call. We had a detailed discussion on different state specific issues and underlined the need to use new technology in highway construction and speedy completion.

The post added, ''We also discussed reopening of Kailashahar Airport and enhancing connectivity with Bangladesh by using Maitri Setu in South Tripura's Sabroom subdivision''.

Singh is on a three-day visit to the north eastern state and on Monday extensively toured Dhalai district to see the progress of the ongoing work on the national highway there.

He also held a review meeting with MP, MLAs and high officials of the district to oversee the ongoing construction works besides roads. Tripura East MP Rebati Tripura, who attended the review meeting, told PTI that Singh asked the state to submit a proposal for converting Kamalpur-Amarpur via Gandacherra state highway to a national highway.

If the proposal is approved then the number of national highways in the border state will increase to seven. During the meeting Singh also stressed on construction of proper drainage system to ensure long life of the roads as the state witnesses substantial rainfall during monsoons, Tripura said.

The MP said he had raised the issue of setting up a new airport at Kailashahar in Unakoti district to which the union minister said the civil aviation ministry will look into it seriously if the state provides the required land for it. Kailashahar airport, which has been dormant for the past several years, has severe land constraint for expansion.

The state government has already announced that a 500 acre plot will be given to the Centre to raise Tripura's second airport Hiracherra tea estate at Kailasahar.

The Centre is expected to invest Rs 500 crore to Rs 600 crore to construct a green field airport at Hiracherra tea estate, close to Bangladesh's Moulvi Bazar district.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)