Alleged Rs.8.27 Crore Road Project Scam Exposed in Sepahijala: No Work Done, Only Signboard Installed

By Our Correspondent

Agartala, February 9, 2026

A massive alleged corruption scandal involving public funds has surfaced in Tripura’s Sepahijala district, where residents claim that an entire road development project worth over Rs. 8 crore was shown as completed on paper, without any actual work being done on the ground.

The controversy erupted after a government signboard suddenly appeared on February 3 at Parimal Chowmuhani, declaring that renovation work on the Dayarampura–South Golaghati–Latiachhara–Chikonchhara road had been successfully completed at a cost of Rs. 8 crore 27 lakh 28 thousand. Shocked local residents say they never saw any construction activity on the road over the past several years.

The 8.680-kilometer-long road was sanctioned for renovation under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) in 2016. However, actual implementation was delayed and work formally began only on March 1, 2020, after the BJP-led government came to power in the state. The project included re-leveling, metalling, carpeting of the road, construction of concrete drains on both sides, and repair of 19 culverts.

The contract conditions reportedly required maintenance for five years, including cleaning drains twice a year and clearing roadside vegetation. The deadline for completion was February 28, 2025.

But villagers allege that none of these works were ever carried out.

According to local residents, they never witnessed any contractor workers or machinery at the site. During monsoon seasons, the road turns into a muddy nightmare, making daily movement extremely difficult. School children are forced to walk through knee-deep water and slush, while commuters struggle to pass through the dilapidated stretch.

Occasionally, minor repairs were carried out using MGNREGA workers arranged by the local panchayat, but no major construction ever took place.

The sudden appearance of the signboard claiming full completion of the project triggered outrage in the area. On Sunday, furious residents called journalists to expose the alleged scam. They accused the triple-engine government of siphoning off public money without delivering any real development.

“Not a single rupee has been properly used on this road. We never even knew such a huge amount was sanctioned. Only after the board was put up did we learn that Rs. 8.27 crore has already been spent,” said a local resident.

This incident has once again highlighted a larger problem in Tripura’s rural development projects. In most cases, villagers remain unaware of government schemes being implemented in their areas, who the contractor is, how much money has been allocated, and when the project is supposed to be completed.

There are widespread allegations that many contractors, in connivance with local political leaders, withdraw full payments after doing little or no work. Similar complaints have been raised regarding Smart City projects in Agartala and various schemes under the Forest Department, including construction of check dams.

Experts point out that failure to install mandatory information boards at project sites, displaying project details, budget, contractor name, and deadlines has enabled such corruption to flourish across the state.

Local residents are now demanding a high-level inquiry into the alleged Rs. 8.27 crore scam and strict punishment for those responsible.

The incident raises serious questions about transparency and accountability in government-funded development works in Tripura, with many fearing that this may be just one example of a much larger pattern of misuse of public money.

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