Agartala, 26th April 2026 : Tension gripped the Abhoynagar area today after residents staged a road blockade near GB-Abhoynagar Road and the Abhoynagar Bridge to protest eviction notices issued under the Smart City project.
Several families who have lived along the banks of the Katakhal for years said they were served notices twice by the Sadar subdivision administration, directing them to vacate their homes to make way for canal renovation works planned by the Agartala Municipal Corporation.
Residents alleged that loudspeaker announcements on April 24 last further ordered them to leave the area immediately. However, they claim no alternative rehabilitation measures have been offered. Many families, dependent on microfinance loans to sustain livelihoods and educate their children, fear being left homeless. Some residents work as domestic helpers and said sudden eviction would push them into severe crisis.
Protesters blocked the road, demanding clear rehabilitation arrangements before vacating their homes. “Where will we go without resettlement? We will not leave until proper arrangements are made,” they declared, warning they were prepared to resist even at the cost of their lives.
Authorities intervened at the protest site to bring the situation under control, though uncertainty continues to loom over the fate of the families living along the canal.
