Agartala, 15th September 2026 :Chief Minister Prof. Dr. Manik Saha on Tuesday called for a more scientific and technology-driven approach to infrastructure development in Tripura, stressing that road projects must be designed to withstand the state’s challenging terrain and climatic conditions.
Speaking to media persons on the sidelines of an Engineers’ Day programme in Agartala, Saha said Tripura’s geographical characteristics, including fragile soil, high water tables, heavy rainfall and landslides, often create difficulties in maintaining infrastructure.
He said the government was therefore focusing on strengthening the quality of Detailed Project Reports (DPRs), adopting modern engineering techniques and exploring technologies suited to the state’s specific requirements.
The Chief Minister said the state has a budget of around ₹25,000 crore and has increased infrastructure-related allocations by approximately ₹8,000 crore to ₹10,000 crore compared with the previous financial year.
Saha also addressed concerns over delays in National Highway projects, clarifying that while the state government facilitates land acquisition, execution of such projects rests with the Central Government.
Maintaining that corruption would not be tolerated, he said the state government takes action whenever irregularities are brought to its notice and noted that some officials have already been suspended.
Explaining the limited working season, Saha said early rainfall and landslides frequently disrupt construction, while procuring stone chips from Meghalaya also poses difficulties. According to him, contractors effectively get only around four months for major ground work, although documentation and other procedures continue throughout the year.
He said repeated road damage could be reduced through better planning and appropriate technology, adding that temporary closure of roads may be necessary in some cases to complete essential works properly.
“Quality is our priority,” the Chief Minister said, emphasising that public money should not be wasted on infrastructure requiring repeated repairs.
On prefabricated construction, Saha said Tripura had already adopted the technology under the Light House project and expressed confidence that its use would expand after completion of the project.
He further said the government was examining innovative technologies that could be adapted to Tripura and indicated that an MoU could be explored in relevant technological fields, including biomedical applications.
