Agartala, 31st July 2026: The long-awaited reconstruction of the Agartala-Khowai road will commence after September 15, once the monsoon season ends, PWD Secretary Kiran Gitte announced on Wednesday. Until then, the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) will continue temporary repairs to ensure that the highway remains safe and motorable.
Speaking to reporters, Gitte said the state government had raised the issue with Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari during a meeting in New Delhi on July 1. A report by the Central Road Research Institute (CRRI) confirmed that the road had not been constructed according to the prescribed quality standards, following which directions were issued for its complete reconstruction.
Gitte said continuous rainfall has prevented permanent repair work, but NHIDCL has been filling potholes and reinforcing weak portions with metalling and Granular Sub-Base (GSB). He added that he personally inspected the road and found the temporary restoration work satisfactory. “Our immediate priority is to keep the road motorable during the rainy season. As soon as the monsoon ends after September 15, full-scale reconstruction will begin,” he said.
The PWD Secretary also said reconstruction has been approved for damaged stretches of the Khowai-Kamalpur, Kumarghat, Panisagar and Churaibari roads. He added that the contractor responsible for the poor-quality work has been terminated, penalised under the “cost and risk” clause, and further action, including blacklisting, is under consideration. The cost of reconstruction, he said, will be recovered from the original contractor.
