Agartala, Aug 23 (IANS): Passenger flights would start between Agartala and Bangladesh's Chittagong to further boost trade and economy links between India's northeast region and the neighbouring country, a Tripura minister said on Tuesday.

Information and Cultural Affairs Minister Sushanta Chowdhury said that the exact date of the start of flights between the Tripura capital and the Bangladesh port city would be decided by the Civil Aviation Ministry in consultation with the External Affairs Ministry and the Bangladesh government.

He said that the passenger flight would be operated thrice in a week and it would further boost the tourism and trade between the northeastern states of India and Bangladesh.

The Tripura council of ministers in a meeting on Tuesday sanctioned Rs 15 crore as viable gap fund to bear the initial loss, if any, to operate the flight in the new international route.

An official of the Airport Authority of India said that the flights would be operated under the UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik)-RCS (Regional Connectivity) scheme.

The Maharaja Bir Bikram (MBB) Airport in Agartala became ready to operate international flights after Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the new integrated terminal building on January 4.

According to the AAI officials, the MBB airport, located 20 km north of Agartala, is the second busiest airport in the northeast after Guwahati airport in terms of handling of aircraft and passengers.

Built at a cost of Rs 500 crore and with a built-up area of 30,000 square metres, the new integrated terminal building at the MBB airport has been designed to handle 1,500 passengers, including 200 international passengers, during peak hours and it is equipped with all modern amenities.