Sushanta Chowdhury, the Minister of Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs, Tourism, and Transport in Tripura, expressed serious concern over the exorbitant airfares on the Agartala-Kolkata route.
In a letter to the Union Minister of Civil Aviation, Chowdhury highlighted the pressing need for regulating airfare prices, which have seen a steep increase, ranging between Rs 10,000 and Rs 12,000 for an aerial distance of merely 327 kilometers.
This price surge, according to Chowdhury’s letter, comes at a particularly sensitive time, with the festive season approaching, and further hikes are anticipated. Such increases are seen as a major burden for residents, many of whom rely on this route for both personal and professional travel.
The issue was recently raised during a session of the Tripura Legislative Assembly on September 5, 2024, where both members of the ruling Treasury Bench and the Opposition Bench jointly expressed their dissatisfaction.
Media coverage on both regional and national levels further amplified these concerns, criticizing the current fare structure as being unjust and disproportionately high.
Notably, the Government of Tripura has previously reduced the Value Added Tax (VAT) on Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) from 16% to just 1% since November 2021 to promote more affordable air travel.
This policy was expected to lead to reduced airfares and increased connectivity on critical routes like Agartala-Kolkata and Agartala-Guwahati.
However, contrary to expectations, airlines have used this financial relief to expand services on more profitable routes, such as those connecting Kolkata with Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, and other major cities. The anticipated benefits for Tripura’s travelers, in terms of lower airfares and enhanced service, have largely failed to materialize.
Call for Regulatory Intervention
Minister Chowdhury emphasized the need for urgent intervention to regulate airfares, pointing out the lack of price control in the airline sector as a key issue.
Unlike other consumer goods and services, which are subject to pricing regulations, airfare remains highly variable and unregulated.
This unchecked pricing strategy, he argued, disproportionately affects the people of Tripura and other northeastern states, making air travel inaccessible for many.
In his letter Union Minister of Civil Aviation, Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu, the Tripura Minister urged to consider implementing a price cap on the Agartala-Kolkata and Agartala-Guwahati routes, ensuring that airfares remain reasonable and within reach of the general population. Such a measure, he noted, would alleviate the financial strain on passengers and promote equitable access to air travel in the region.
As air travel continues to be an essential mode of transportation for the northeastern states, especially given their geographic isolation, Minister Chowdhury sought cooperation of Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu, in addressing these concerns at the earliest.
(Tripura, Tripura News)
