BY TC News Desk
Agartala, 27th November 2025: Unplanned road digging under the Smart City project continues to cause severe disruption across the capital. Today, drain construction work once again led to the cutting of a gas pipeline, leaving residents in distress.
The latest incident took place in front of the Women’s College, where a dredger was deployed to cut the road for drain construction. During the excavation, the gas pipeline was damaged, immediately disconnecting supply in the area. Locals faced sudden inconvenience until officials from Tripura Natural Gas Company Limited (TNGCL) arrived at the site.
TNGCL officials stated they were engaged in emergency work at Pratapgarh and reached the spot only after completing that assignment, causing a delay in response. Meanwhile, officials supervising the drain construction claimed they were unaware of the presence of a gas pipeline at the location, raising serious questions about negligence and lack of coordination.
Experts point out that before any road excavation, authorities should consult pipeline maps from utility departments to avoid damage to underground gas and water lines. However, officials involved in the drain project admitted they had no such information, exposing the absence of inter-departmental coordination.
This is not the first such incident. Similar cases of pipeline damage have been reported in multiple parts of Agartala during ongoing Smart City drain works. Each time, residents have borne the brunt of disrupted services. Complaints also persist that even after repairs, supply has not returned to normal in several areas, leaving citizens dependent on alternative arrangements.
Earlier, during Ganesh Chaturthi, a water pipeline was cut on Laxminarayan Bari Road due to road digging. The repair was carried out hastily, and residents continue to suffer from inadequate drinking water supply months later. Despite repeated complaints, no permanent solution has been provided, fueling public anger.
Residents allege that the Smart City drain construction, aimed at improving the capital’s sewage system, has instead created widespread mismanagement due to poor planning and lack of coordination among departments. They demand that the work be carried out in a systematic manner to ensure genuine urban development without further disruption to essential services.
