Digital Darkness Near Agartala: Residents of Nagichara, Gabardi Belt Demand Urgent Mobile Towers and Internet Connectivity

By Our Correspondent

Agartala, February 12, 2026

Despite being located close to Agartala city, several localities including Malaynagar, Subashnagar, Nagichara, Jarulbachai and extending up to Gabardi continue to suffer from severe mobile network and internet connectivity problems. Residents allege that while telecom operators are actively selling SIM cards in these areas, the required number of mobile towers has not been installed to ensure proper signal strength and stable internet access.

Residents have revealed that a mobile tower of Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited was earlier operational in the Nagichara area. However, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the tower was reportedly withdrawn due to an insufficient subscriber base.

Locals say that after the removal of the BSNL tower, connectivity deteriorated sharply. Since then, the entire belt

from Nagichara to adjoining villages has been facing chronic signal and internet issues. Many residents describe the withdrawal of the tower during a period when digital connectivity was most crucial for education and communication as deeply unfortunate.

Almost all major telecom service providers, including Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, Vodafone Idea and BSNL, are reportedly selling SIM cards in these semi-remote and tribal-dominated localities. However, network coverage remains extremely weak, with frequent call drops and poor mobile data speed.

In several areas, residents are forced to move to specific spots or roadside locations just to make emergency calls or access basic internet services.

The absence of reliable internet connectivity is severely affecting students from school level to higher studies. With education increasingly dependent on digital platforms, online classes, and e-learning resources, students in these areas are struggling to keep pace.

Parents and teachers have expressed concern that children are unable to access online study materials, scholarship portals, examination forms, and digital classrooms. Shockingly, not a single government-run school in these localities is equipped with a functional computer lab or stable internet connectivity.

In the post-pandemic era, when digital education has become essential rather than optional, this digital gap is widening educational inequality.

Residents allege that both private telecom operators and public sector providers are reluctant to invest in infrastructure in these areas because the subscriber base is considered commercially unviable. As many of these villages include tribal and economically underdeveloped populations, telecom companies may not find immediate financial returns.

However, locals argue that connectivity is no longer a luxury but a basic necessity linked to education, healthcare, banking, employment, and governance.

Several government services in Tripura are now fully dependent on internet connectivity and mobile OTP verification systems. These include digital ration systems, Aadhaar-related services, online scholarship applications, land record access, and various welfare schemes.

Without proper mobile networks, residents are facing difficulties in availing these essential services. Many are compelled to travel long distances to access stable connectivity.

The role of the State Information Technology Department and concerned authorities is now being questioned by residents who seek urgent intervention.

The problem is not confined to Malaynagar, Subashnagar, Nagichara, Jarulbachai, and Gabardi. Several remote areas in other districts and subdivisions of Tripura reportedly face similar connectivity gaps.

While digital governance initiatives are expanding, infrastructure in many rural and tribal belts remains inadequate.

Local teachers, parents, and socially aware citizens have renewed their demand for:

Reinstallation of a BSNL tower in Nagichara

Installation of additional mobile towers across the Malaynagar, Nagichara, Gabardi belt

Expansion of broadband and fiber connectivity

Internet and computer lab facilities in all government schools

Special infrastructure support for underdeveloped and tribal regions. Local

Residents also emphasize that digital connectivity is a matter of equal opportunity and inclusive development. They urge the State Government, the IT Department, and telecom operators to conduct an immediate ground survey and restore adequate infrastructure at the earliest.

The people of these neglected localities now await decisive steps to bring them out of prolonged digital isolation and integrate them fully into Tripura’s development framework.

more news...