Agartala, 7th September 2026 : With the Village Committee (VC) elections drawing closer, a road blockade over an acute drinking water crisis triggered tension in Gandacherra on Sunday.
Residents of Dudumoni Para, located near the Gandacherra Sub-Divisional Magistrate’s office, have reportedly been facing a severe shortage of drinking water for several days. According to local residents, the pump machine responsible for supplying water to the area has been lying defunct. Despite informing officials of the Drinking Water and Sanitation Department, the machine had allegedly not been repaired for a long time.
Frustrated over the continued inaction, women from the locality staged a road blockade on the Gandacherra-Raishyabari road near the Sarma Panchayat office , carrying water pots and demanding immediate restoration of water supply.
On receiving information, officials of the concerned department, along with personnel from Gandacherra Police Station, rushed to the spot. Following prolonged discussions with the protesters, officials assured them that the defective pump machine would be repaired and normal water supply restored by Sunday itself.
The protesters subsequently withdrew the blockade following the assurance.
The blockade, however, caused significant disruption to traffic, with a large number of vehicles stranded on both sides of the road, leading to considerable inconvenience for commuters.
The incident has also drawn attention as the VC elections are barely three weeks away. The protest over a basic civic necessity such as drinking water amid the election preparations has raised several questions among residents regarding the state of essential public services in the area.
