Agartala, December 06, 2024: Aggrieved residents and commuters of the Kadamtala Ranirbari Road area in North Tripura district staged a massive road blockade on Friday demanding urgent resolution of grievances related to the ongoing construction of an alternative national highway. The protest disrupted traffic for over two hours, bringing the area to a standstill.
The blockade erupted early in the morning as locals including residents, business owners and drivers parked their buses and vehicles on the busy Kadamtala Ranirbari Road halting the movement of hundreds of vehicles. The protesters voiced their frustration over the condition of the road and the alleged negligence in the construction work by the contractor, Yoga Construction Company.
“We are suffering immensely due to the dust caused by overloaded 16-wheel and 18-wheel dumpers carrying soil every day for the construction. The heavy vehicles have left the roads riddled with potholes, making them nearly impossible to navigate,” said Ramesh Das, a local businessman. “Accidents have become a daily occurrence, and no one seems to care about our safety,” he added.
The 11-kilometer stretch of the alternative national highway, connecting Dharmanagar to Assam via Bora Gol Kadamtala and Jherjheri has been under construction, but locals allege that substandard practices are exacerbating the area’s issues. “Soil spills are turning the road into a muddy death trap. We want immediate action to repair these roads before more lives are lost,” demanded Sunita Devi, a resident of Kadamtala.
Upon receiving reports of the blockade, officials from Kadamtala Police Station arrived at the scene but failed to pacify the protesters initially. Later, side engineer Ram Chandra Prasad of Yoga Construction Company reached the spot and assured the crowd that immediate steps would be taken to repair the damaged roads.
The blockade was lifted around 11:30 AM after this assurance, restoring normalcy to traffic. However, locals warned of renewed protests if the promises were not honored. “We will not hesitate to block the road again if no action is taken. This is about our safety and livelihood,” one protester said resolutely.
The incident highlighted growing public discontent over infrastructure issues in the region, emphasizing the urgent need for authorities to address grievances and ensure safe and efficient construction practices.
