Contaminated Drain Water Leaking into Pipelines, Hepatitis and Typhoid Outbreak Raises Alarm in Agartala Smart City

By Our Correspondent

Agartala, September 4, 2025

Agartala’s Smart City works are turning into a nightmare for residents as contaminated drain water is reportedly entering drinking water pipelines, triggering a sharp rise in jaundice, hepatitis A, typhoid, and other stomach related diseases. The situation has reached alarming proportions in Ramnagar road number-7, Krishnanagar Thakurpalli road, Joynagar, where hundreds of citizens have fallen ill, and at least one death has been reported.

This is not the first time such a crisis has unfolded. Earlier, in Master Para of central Agartala, hepatitis and typhoid spread rapidly after sewage water mixed with drinking water pipelines. At that time, West Tripura District Magistrate Dr. Vishal Kumar rushed to the spot and held an urgent meeting with DWS officials and Agartala Municipal Corporation representatives. It was decided that pipeline leaks would be immediately identified and repaired, and that Smart City contractors would ensure water pipelines are not damaged during digging.

However, the residents of Krishna Nagar Thakurpalli road alleged that those instructions were ignored. Due to a lack of coordination between agencies using underground utilities, frequent damage is occurring not only to water pipelines but also to cooking gas and electricity lines. In many places, broken pipelines are left unrepaired for days, allowing drain water to seep into the drinking supply. Experts confirm this cross-contamination is the main cause of the current epidemic.

In Joynagar’s Lane No. 1 to Lane No. 5, including Arvind Lane and the Yuva Samaj Club area, hepatitis A has spread widely, with nearly every household reporting cases. Both GB Hospital and IGM Hospital are struggling with the rising number of hepatitis and typhoid patients, while private clinics are also overcrowded. Doctors and the Health Department have already escalated the matter to the state government, but residents complain that no concrete action has been taken.

Adding to the public anger, locals from opposite the Irish Academy at Krishna Nagar, TP Road, allege serious negligence in ongoing Smart City construction. They claim laborers are working without supervision, using JCB machines instead of manual labor, and avoiding proper procedures like vibration during rod binding and centering. Broken structures are left on roadsides, creating traffic jams, while damaged water connections take three to four days to repair.

Drainage construction has left households stranded, as it takes at least 15 days for new drains to be connected to the construction casting (Dhalai) line. With no outer pipes on water pumps, dirty water is flowing directly onto roads, making it difficult for pedestrians and residents to move. Citizens describe the situation as 'daylight dacoity' where taxpayers money is wasted, and no authority is present to ensure quality standards.

Despite repeated visits by municipal representatives and administrative officials, residents say the government’s response has been inadequate. The outbreak is spreading even in areas under the Chief Minister’s own constituency, raising serious questions about governance, accountability, and the real cost of the so-called Smart City project.

For now, Agartala’s citizens remain trapped in a cycle of broken infrastructure, unsafe drinking water, and rising disease with little sign of immediate relief.

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