AGARTALA, May 24 (TIWN): Air ticket crisis continues on Tripura. Though normal category tickets are exhausted air tickets under the group category are available in some travelling agencies and they are charging hefty amounts.

Under group category, air tickets are available at Rs 5,000-Rs 7,500, whereas it was supposed to be at Rs 2,200 to Rs 2,500 taking into consideration of the past experience, according to an executive of a city-based travelling agency.

Many critical patients who have been referred to Kolkata for better treatment are stranded at Agartala Govt Medical College (AGMC) and Tripura Medical College (TMC) due to the sudden shortage of air tickets. Earlier, tickets were available at Rs. 2500 to 3000 in the busy Agartala­ Kolkata route but prices are going up with every passing day after most of the travelling agencies decided not to draw group tickets

According to the passengers, a competition like which can charge more extra fare from the passengers is going on between the travel agencies and private air ticket providers for two months. The Tripura government and police administration is still remained silent after knowing everything. As a result their passengers’ suffering is being increased in the state.

Due to the airticket crisis and hike in airfare, most of the passengers were unable to reach Agartala on scheduled time. As a result, condition of Tripura Bhawan reaches its extreme height. Authorities finds difficult to accommodate all the broaders.

Tripura being surrounded by Bangladesh on three sides, people have no other quick alternative but to avail air routes. There is need of taking steps in solving the problem and ensure arrangement for additional flights in Agartala-Kolkata route till normalcy is restored.