Villagers in Tripura’s Dalucherra block NH-208 demanding clean drinking water and urgent road repairs after years of neglect. The protest halted traffic until officials assured immediate water supply via tankers and roadwork within a week. Residents warn of renewed protests if promises aren’t kept.
A major disruption unfolded on National Highway 208 on Monday when agitated villagers from Dalucherra under Bhagaban Nagar Gram Panchayat in Kailashahar staged a blockade, demanding access to clean drinking water and urgent renovation of a long-neglected village road. The protest brought traffic to a standstill for several hours, leaving a long queue of stranded vehicles and frustrated commuters.
According to local residents, the people of Dalucherra have been facing acute water scarcity for years. Despite repeated complaints to government departments, panchayat officials, and district authorities, there has been no permanent solution or even temporary relief in the form of water tankers. Protesters claimed that their calls for help—both written and verbal—have consistently fallen on deaf ears.
“No one listens to us. We have no drinking water and no proper road. We submitted so many requests, but nothing has been done. Even during elections, we cast our votes like everyone else, yet we are treated like we don’t exist,” said one of the villagers who took part in the protest.
The villagers also expressed strong resentment over the deplorable state of the main road in Dalucherra. They alleged that while renovation promises were made multiple times by the panchayat, no work was initiated on the ground. Worse still, they accused the assigned panchayat member of misusing allocated funds for road repair.
“We don’t just need words—we need action. Even after reaching out to the Gournagar Block Development Officer (BDO), the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) of Kailashahar, and the Unakoti District Magistrate, no steps were taken. The road is full of potholes, and during the monsoon, it becomes nearly impassable,” another protester said.
The blockade began early in the morning, and by noon, it had garnered significant attention. A large contingent of police and Tripura State Rifles (TSR) personnel arrived at the spot to control the situation and persuade the villagers to lift the blockade. However, the protesters stood firm on their demands, insisting that the agitation would continue unless officials arrived on the scene and gave concrete assurances.
In response to the intensifying standoff, several senior officials—including Deputy Magistrate Mati Ranjan Debbarma, Nirmal Chandra Biswas from the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation (DWS), Gournagar Block officials, and the secretary and pradhan of Bhagaban Nagar Panchayat—reached the protest site to engage in dialogue with the villagers.
After an hour of discussions, the administration agreed to provide immediate water supply through tankers twice daily until a permanent water source is established. Furthermore, the officials committed to commencing road repair work within a week.
Following these assurances, the villagers agreed to call off the blockade at around 2 PM, and traffic on NH-208 gradually resumed.
The incident has spotlighted the persistent neglect of rural infrastructure and basic amenities in Tripura’s hinterlands. While the swift administrative response may have temporarily resolved the crisis, residents say they will continue to monitor progress and are prepared to resume protests if the promises are not fulfilled.
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As one protester summed it up, “We are not asking for luxuries. We are demanding what is rightfully ours—water to drink and roads to walk on.”
