Roof Leak in Newly Built MLA Hostel Raises Quality Concerns

By Our Correspondent

Agartala, May 21, 2025

BJP MLA from Santirbazar, Pramod Reang, has voiced serious concerns over the quality of construction in the newly built MLA hostel after discovering a leaking roof in his accommodation.

Reang reported that on Tuesday morning, he awoke to find water seeping across the floor of his room. Upon inspection, it was found that the source of the leakage was the roof, which had started to allow water to penetrate—less than two years after the hostel was occupied.

“This hostel was occupied by MLAs following the 2023 assembly elections, and now, just a short time later, we're dealing with roof leaks,” said Reang. “This isn’t an isolated issue. The doors are also frequently defective. Clearly, the construction work lacks quality.”

The visibly frustrated legislator urged contractors to uphold construction standards. “Contractors are paid to build lasting infrastructure. If this is the condition of the building already, the quality of construction is clearly questionable,” he remarked.

he MLA hostel, built to house elected representatives, was virtually inaugurated by President Droupadi Murmu during her visit to Tripura in October 2022. It was officially handed over in May 2023 in the presence of Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha and Assembly Speaker Biswabandhu Sen.

Constructed by the state’s Public Works Department (PWD), the facility covers an area of 3,983 square metres and includes 45 suites, a library, gymnasium, and multiple meeting rooms. The revelation of structural issues so early into its use has sparked fresh debate on accountability and construction oversight in public infrastructure projects.

more news...