BY TC News Desk
Agartala, 7th February 2024 : A Smart City project in Agartala, which involves the construction of a multi-level car parking cum commercial complex at the Old Motor Stand, has come under scrutiny after locals reported irregularities in the work on Wednesday afternoon.
According to eyewitnesses, the joists used for the project bent within 40 minutes of installation, causing a loud noise and forcing the workers to flee the site. The incident triggered panic among the local traders and passers-by, who feared that the structure might collapse due to the poor quality of work.
The project, which is estimated to cost crores of rupees, is being executed by a private contractor company named PRM Tirupati Privated Limited on a Public Private Partnership Project in Design, Build, Finance, Operate and Transfer (DBFOT) mode. The company is responsible for the design, construction, operation, and maintenance of the facility.
When media personnel arrived at the scene to cover the incident, they were prevented from entering the site by the workers of the contractor company. The journalists were also told not to take any pictures or videos of the site, raising questions about the transparency and accountability of the project.
Later, a worker in-charge of the contract work came forward and claimed that the bending of the joints was not a major issue and that it would not affect the progress of the work. He said that they were investigating the cause of the bending and that they would rectify it soon.
However, the locals were not convinced by his explanation and demanded that the administration conduct a thorough probe into the matter. They also expressed their concern about the safety and quality of the project, which is supposed to be a part of the Smart City initiative in Agartala.
