BY TC News Desk
Agartala, 21st August 2025: CPIM on Thursday came down heavily on the state government over the alleged poor implementation of the Smart City project and the functioning of the Agartala Municipal Corporation.
Addressing a press conference in Agartala city on Thursday afternoon, former Transport Minister Manik Dey accused the government of failing to utilize central funds and leaving the city’s development in disarray.
“In 2015, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced to make 100 cities smart cities. At that time, Agartala was not included in the list. The Left Front government protested and questioned why Tripura’s capital should be excluded. We wrote to the central government, and finally, Agartala was brought under the Smart City project,” Dey recalled.
He pointed out that the Centre had promised Rs 500 crore and the state government was supposed to contribute an equal amount. “Later, a DPR team estimated the total cost at Rs 3,000 crore. The Centre has already given Rs 490 crore, but the state government has released only Rs 52 crore instead of the required Rs 490 crore. Where has the rest of the money gone? The government owes the people an explanation for nearly a thousand crore rupees,” Dey alleged.
Highlighting the gaps in execution, the CPIM leader said, “The plan included high-quality roads with proper drainage, multi-storey parking facilities, modern markets, resettlement of slum dwellers, and improved road conditions for heavy rainfall. But today, nothing substantial has been done. Not a single slum family has been rehabilitated, and the city is in a worse condition.”
Directly attacking the Municipal Corporation, Dey said, “In the last few years, it has failed to bring funds from the Centre for development. The Mayor is just roaming around and inspecting, but not a single market has been modernized. The roads are broken, street lights remain defunct, and even the proposed footbridge from Radhanagar has not been constructed despite funds being allocated.”
He further added that the city now floods with even a small spell of rain. “Drains are being built unscientifically, leading to waterlogging. This has only added to the suffering of the people of Agartala. The government is busy making speeches but is failing to deliver on the ground,” Dey charged.
The press conference was also attended by CPIM leaders Amal Chakraborty, former MP Shankar Prasad Datta and others.
