BY TC News Desk
Agartala, 2nd March 2026: For residents of Bagarchatal in Kanchanmala Ward No. 1, “development” has come to mean bamboo bridges. Despite decades of demands, the long-standing problem of constructing a permanent culvert remains unresolved.
Villagers say election candidates routinely promise a concrete culvert during campaigns, only to forget the pledge once elected. As a result, the community continues to rely on fragile bamboo structures for daily movement, a symbol of broken promises and neglected development.
Local residents complain that repeated appeals to representatives have gone unheard. Without a proper culvert, vehicles cannot enter the village. The alternative road is in such poor condition that transporting patients to hospitals has become a major challenge, as ambulances cannot reach the area. Fire engines too are unable to access the village in case of emergencies.
“Hundreds of people cross this bamboo bridge every day, but our demand for a permanent solution has been ignored,” said one villager.
The constituency’s current MLA, Manab Debbarma of the Tipra Motha party, won the 2023 election with public support. However, villagers allege that in the three years since, their demand for a concrete culvert has not been fulfilled, even though his party is part of the government.
Residents voice frustration that while elected leaders enjoy luxury cars and heavy security funded by taxpayers, basic infrastructure needs remain unmet. For Bagarchatal, the bamboo bridge stands as a stark reminder of promises unkept and development denied.
