Agartala, 29th October 2026 : Road renovation work connecting Pragati Road in Nayapara, Dharmanagar, with Dighalbak Chaumuhuni was halted on Thursday morning after local residents protested against the alleged use of substandard materials.
The residents expressed strong dissatisfaction with the quality of the ongoing work, alleging that the bitumen layer being applied to the road was so inferior that it could be peeled off with a simple pull. Suspecting serious lapses in the execution of the project, they stopped the construction and demanded immediate intervention by the authorities.
According to local residents, the renovation work was awarded to contractor Ananta Ghosh. They alleged that the workers engaged in the project were carrying out the work without maintaining the required quality standards, raising concerns over the proper utilisation of public funds.
Residents fear that the road surface will deteriorate within days if the work continues in the same manner, leaving commuters to face the same difficulties despite the expenditure on renovation.
The incident has also triggered questions over the supervision of the Public Works Department (PWD). Locals questioned why the responsible officials had allegedly failed to ensure proper monitoring and quality checks while the renovation was underway.
Demanding accountability, the residents insisted that road repair work should be carried out during daylight hours so that locals can observe the process and raise concerns if necessary. They also demanded that the portions where the bitumen has allegedly peeled off be removed and repaired afresh in accordance with the prescribed quality standards.
Furthermore, they called for regular on-site inspections by PWD officials to prevent similar incidents in the future.
The protest has brought the quality of local infrastructure projects under scrutiny, with residents demanding transparency and accountability in the use of public money. However, the allegations are yet to be independently verified, and it remains to be seen whether the PWD will investigate the matter and initiate corrective measures against those responsible.
