CORRESPONDENT
AGARTALA: Tripura Governor Indra Sena Reddy Nallu has written to Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari, urging him to depute a team of senior officials to inspect the condition of National Highway 8 and other national highways in the state and expedite repair and construction work while ensuring quality standards.
The Governor is understood to have written the letter after his two-day visit to North Tripura, during which he reportedly took note of the poor condition of roads and received complaints from the public.
The appeal comes close on the heels of separate representations made to Gadkari by Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha and former Chief Minister and MP Biplab Kumar Deb, highlighting the deteriorating condition of the state’s highways. Road conditions have emerged as a major public concern across Tripura, with protests and road blockades being organised frequently to demand immediate repairs. During the past two days, residents blocked the Assam–Agartala National Highway at Sarada Palli in Kumarghat, demanding urgent restoration of the road. The blockade was withdrawn after the Chairman of the Kumarghat Municipal Council and officials of the sub-divisional administration assured protesters that necessary action would be taken. Hundreds of vehicles were stranded during the protest, causing inconvenience to commuters. Residents of Gandacherra also expressed dissatisfaction over the poor condition of roads.
Road blockades have become a recurring feature in several parts of the state, with protesters alleging that the administration has offered repeated assurances without visible action. In some instances, the protests have turned violent when police attempted to disperse demonstrators. On Friday, police resorted to a lathi charge to clear protesters at Dhuptali under Kakraban Police Station in Udaipur. A similar tense situation was reported on the Agartala–Khowai road earlier this week.
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