Tripura, April 22: With the monsoon season approaching, the Tripura government has ramped up embankment construction and renovation efforts across the state to prevent flooding in vulnerable areas. Secretary of the PWD (Water Resources), Kiran Gitte, addressed a press conference this evening at the Civil Secretariat, highlighting the progress and urgency of the works under the directive of Chief Minister Prof. (Dr.) Manik Saha.
Gitte informed that the Chief Minister has placed special emphasis on safeguarding flood-prone towns such as Kailashahar, Agartala, and Belonia. Acting on this directive, a high-level delegation led by Gitte, along with Chief Engineer Sudhan Debbarma and a team of technical experts, recently conducted an on-site inspection in Belonia.
The team reviewed the ongoing embankment repair and construction works and instructed officials to ensure timely and quality completion. “The Chief Minister is personally monitoring the situation,” Gitte said. “He has brought the issue of cross-border embankment constructions in Kailashahar and Belonia to the notice of the Central Government.
The state administration is also keeping a close watch.” The Water Resources wing of the PWD is currently executing embankment works at several key locations across the state. In Kailashahar, four vulnerable areas—Debipur (Gournagar block), Kailashahar airport zone, Laxmichhara, and the town area—are seeing targeted embankment upgrades to protect against flooding from the Manu River. An anti-erosion project is also underway in the region, with a combined budget allocation of Rs. 28 crore. Agartala, which has historically faced severe waterlogging during monsoons, is witnessing intensified work along the Howrah River.
Efforts include desilting, slope protection, and structural repair of the Howrah embankment, with works extending along Katakhal as well. The estimated cost of these interventions stands at Rs. 41 crore. In Belonia, embankment heightening, strengthening, and repair works are progressing swiftly with an allocation of Rs. 77 crore. Gitte confirmed that the projects are moving ahead on priority and the Chief Minister has been kept fully informed.
The 2024 monsoon season left a trail of destruction across various parts of the state, damaging several embankments. The Water Resources Department has since taken up restoration works in locations such as Durgapur (Sonamura), Gajaria, and Govinda Moth (Satcchand block). “The government is committed to preventing a repeat of last year’s damages,” Gitte asserted. “We are racing against time, but the momentum is strong and the focus is clear—Tripura must be monsoon-ready.”
