Fifth Day Without Water in Ramnagar and Abhoynagar: Citizens Slam Smart City Chaos, Unplanned Digging Damages Power and Water Lines Across Agartala
By Our Correspondent
Agartala, August 5, 2025
Several households in Ramnagar Road No. 7 and the Abhoynagar Lal School area have been left without drinking water for the fifth consecutive day, triggering outrage among residents. According to locals, the crisis began after underground electricity cable and water pipelines were accidentally damaged by Smart City drainage work using heavy machinery. The affected people say they now have no alternative source for drinking water and accuse the authorities of negligence.
Residents are particularly frustrated by the lack of coordination between different departments involved in urban development. “There is no integrated plan or blueprint. One department digs up the road for drainage, another finds their water line or power cable cut and no one is informed,” said a senior advocate resident of Ramnagar Road No7.
They argue that in the name of development, the public is being forced to suffer. “Whenever someone points out these issues, they are branded as anti-development. But the truth is, asking questions is the only way to expose this mismanagement,” said another local.
Even more concerning, citizens have reported that similar damage occurred near the IGM Hospital area, where unscientific use of drozer machines during digging led to the destruction of both underground electricity cables and water pipelines, plunging more parts of the city into a dual crisis. Experts say such damage could have been avoided with proper technical mapping and coordinated execution.
Meanwhile, residents of Lichubagan are also expressing grief over another incident. A transformer had been installed in front of the Tripurainfo office to improve electricity supply and reduce load in the area. However, after a false and misleading newspaper report surfaced, the power corporation removed the transformer, further aggravating power problems. “This transformer was benefiting hundreds of homes. The decision to remove it based on misinformation is truly unfortunate,” said a resident.
Citizens across Agartala now fear that under the current Smart City framework, basic services like water and electricity are becoming more unreliable than ever. As one citizen put it, “If development means no water, no power, and daily inconvenience, then ‘Smart City’ is just an empty slogan.”
The growing public anger reflects an urgent demand for better planning, inter-departmental coordination, and transparency to ensure that development does not come at the cost of basic human needs.
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