BY TC News Desk
Agartala, 16th February 2026: The brick manufacturing sector in Tripura is facing an unprecedented crisis as coal supplies from neighboring Meghalaya and other sources have been interrupted for the past two weeks, leaving kiln operators scrambling to maintain production.
Vivekananda Choudhury, President of the Tripura Brick Kiln Association, highlighted that the industry’s heavy reliance on coal has left no immediate alternatives, with no rail-based supply arrangements currently in place. “Not a single coal-laden truck has entered the state in the last fifteen days,” he said at a meeting with kiln owners statewide.
The shortage has forced several brick kilns to shut down entirely, while others are limping along on their dwindling stockpiles. Choudhury warned, “If new sources of coal aren’t secured soon, the state’s brick production could come to a complete halt within a week.”
Tripura hosts roughly 300 brick kiln units, providing crucial employment and construction materials across the region. Production has already dropped sharply, not only due to coal scarcity but also because many skilled laborers, particularly from Bihar, have yet to return, further straining operations.
Financial pressure is mounting as high coal prices and falling sales squeeze profit margins, leaving kiln owners in a precarious position. The Brick Kiln Association has called on the state government to intervene urgently, either by arranging alternative coal supplies or providing support to prevent mass closures and economic fallout.
