Road blockade over dilapidated roads disrupts traffic in Kadamtala

Locals, transport operators and members of the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) staged a road blockade in Tripura's North district on Thursday, demanding immediate repair of several dilapidated roads in the Kadamtala block area.

The blockade began around 10 am at the Kadamtala Auto Stand junction and the entrance to the Chollishdron road near the local vegetable market, disrupting vehicular movement in the area.

The protesters, including auto-rickshaw and e-rickshaw drivers, vehicle owners and local people, alleged that several key roads in the block have remained in poor condition for a prolonged period.

They claimed that nearly 90 per cent of the Kadamtala-Ranibari road, the Kadamtala Bazar-Chollishdron road via Tarakpur and Saraspur, and the Kadamtala-Dharmanagar road is riddled with potholes, leading to frequent accidents and causing hardship to commuters.

The protesters alleged that despite repeated demands, the authorities have failed to undertake repair or reconstruction of the affected roads.

They also claimed that tenders for the repair of two of the roads had already been completed, but work had not commenced due to alleged delays by the concerned department.

The protesters said they were compelled to resort to the blockade as thousands of people use the roads daily and continue to face difficulties. They demanded that repair work begin immediately and said the agitation would continue until concrete steps were taken.

The blockade caused long traffic snarls, leaving commuters, government employees and office-goers stranded. School students, however, were allowed to pass through the protest site on humanitarian grounds.

Police from Kadamtala police station were present at the spot to maintain law and order.