Women’s Protest Blocks Road in East Churaibari Demanding Clean Drinking Water and Road Repairs; Protest Ends After Panchayat Head’s Assurance
Tripura 22 Feb, 2025: Frequent road blockades have become a common sight in North Tripura, with residents using them as a primary means of protest for various issues, from teacher shortages in schools to problems with clean drinking water, road conditions, and even electricity supply.
In a similar incident, a group of women staged a road blockade on Saturday around 9:30 AM in Ward No. 3 of East Churaibari Gram Panchayat under Churaibari police station, North Tripura district. The protesters, angered by the prolonged lack of access to clean drinking water and the poor condition of rural roads, blocked the Churaibari-Kadamtala main road near Bhairab Para village. The blockade led to severe traffic congestion, with hundreds of vehicles stranded on both sides of the road.
The villagers claimed they had been deprived of drinking water for a long time, and the dilapidated state of the roads had caused multiple accidents. Despite repeated complaints to the Gram Panchayat representatives, no action was taken, forcing them to take to the streets in protest. The protesters vowed to continue the blockade until their demands were met.
Upon receiving information about the protest, local Panchayat leaders, including Panchayat Head Mouli Das, Deputy Head Bishwajit Deb, and Ward Member Dipankar Nath, rushed to the scene. They assured the protesters that their grievances would be addressed soon. Following the assurance, the blockade was lifted within approximately 45 minutes, and traffic movement returned to normal.
Commenting on the issue, Ward Member Dipankar Nath stated that water connections had been provided to most households, except for a few families living on higher terrain due to technical challenges. However, efforts were underway to resolve the issue. Regarding road repairs, he mentioned that the work was already in the process of starting. Additionally, water tankers were being sent to areas facing acute water shortages. He also alleged that some individuals were unnecessarily spreading misinformation about the situation.
