Two Women Injured After Their Feet Get Trapped in Broken Manhole Covers During Durga Puja in Agartala, Smart City Work Under Scanner

By Our Correspondent

Agartala, October 23, 2026

Questions over the quality of infrastructure developed under the Agartala Smart City project have intensified after two women reportedly sustained injuries in separate incidents when their feet became trapped in broken manhole covers while walking along covered drains in the city during Durga Puja.

The first incident occurred around noon on Navami at Colonel Chowmuhani, one of the busy locations in the heart of Agartala. According to reports, a woman was walking over a covered drain when the manhole cover broke, trapping her foot inside the opening. Local residents rushed to her assistance and arranged cutting equipment to cut through the iron structure and free her trapped foot. The incident raised immediate concerns about the condition and safety of the city's pedestrian infrastructure.

A second similar incident was reported near the water tank at Lichubagan along Airport Road. In this case too, a woman reportedly encountered trouble while walking over an uncovered or inadequately covered section of a covered drain. The two incidents have brought renewed attention to the risks posed by damaged manhole covers, incomplete footpaths and unfinished urban infrastructure.

The incidents have triggered widespread resentment among city residents, with criticism reportedly gathering momentum on social media over the quality of work undertaken under the Smart City initiative. Residents have questioned how pedestrians, particularly women, elderly people and children, can safely use footpaths when drain covers are broken, missing or inadequately installed.

The reported two incidents have also revived concerns about the quality of road and footpath renovation work undertaken ahead of the Durga Puja festivities. Agartala Municipal Corporation Mayor Dipak Majumder had earlier announced plans to renovate 40 major roads in the city before the festival. However, complaints about alleged patchwork repairs, poor finishing and substandard construction have continued to surface at various locations.

Residents have expressed concern that the incidents involving the two women may be symptomatic of broader deficiencies in the execution and supervision of urban infrastructure projects. The condition of footpaths and manhole covers, they argue, should receive the same attention as the visible renovation of roads.

The situation along Airport Road has become a particular point of concern. Although the road has reportedly been formally inaugurated, several sections of the pedestrian infrastructure are said to remain incomplete.

According to local observations and complaints, manhole covers are still missing at multiple locations, while tiles have not been installed on portions of the footpaths. In some areas, the finishing work appears incomplete, raising questions about whether the entire project was adequately inspected before its inauguration.

There have also been complaints that portions of the road's bituminous surface and footpath tiles have already developed visible damage.

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