PWD Clarifies Road Improvement from Jogendra Nagar to Takarjala; Nagicherra Stretch Still Awaits Upgradation

By Our Correspondent

Agartala, July 19, 2025

Amid growing criticism over unequal infrastructure development across Tripura, particularly in tribal areas, the Public Works Department (National Highways) has clarified that the 25-kilometer road stretch from Jogendra Nagar RCC Bridge to Takarjala Market has already been improved under the Special Assistance to State fund.

According to official sources in the PWD(NH), the work on this crucial route has been completed, significantly enhancing the riding quality of the road surface. The average width of the improved road is 6.5 meters, and signage installation work is currently in progress. Officials further clarified that any widening between Jogendra Nagar and the railway station would require extensive land acquisition, including the demolition of several permanent buildings, making immediate expansion unfeasible.

This clarification comes when the local complaints lack of expansion efforts on this stretch, even though it connects key locations such as the Nagicherra fish market, TFDC rubberwood factory, and several Agriculture research stations and educational institutions.

Opposition parties, including Congress, CPI(M), and TIPRA Motha, have long alleged that the state’s infrastructure push has not adequately benefited tribal-dominated regions. These concerns were renewed after Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha announced a Rs. 7,000 crore infrastructure budget, promising comprehensive connectivity through double-lane roads, new bypasses, and flyovers under initiatives like Bharatmala and the proposed 449-km Ring Road project.

While the government's vision includes enhanced urban mobility and connectivity between district headquarters and subdivisions, residents of semi-urban and tribal areas are now demanding equity in infrastructure execution. The state is being urged to ensure that tribal regions are not sidelined and that critical but neglected roads like the Nagicherra stretch receive due attention.

As infrastructure remains a pillar of Tripura’s development agenda, a more inclusive and region-sensitive approach will be crucial in bridging the growing gap between urban progress and rural neglect.

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