Photo Courtesy: nenow
Agartala: Tripura Public Works and Health Secretary Kiran Gitte says regional flooding is an international issue. He demands a joint action plan between India and Bangladesh to fix chronic waterlogging in Agartala, Kailashahar, and Belonia. Local drainage efforts alone will fail. City channels like Kalapania and Katakhal dump water directly into Bangladesh, where poor drainage causes the backup.
Gitte addressed these concerns at a brainstorming session this Thursday. He noted that neighboring officials have expressed interest during Joint River Commission meetings. “Most of the water discharged by major channels of Agartala city enters into Bangladesh,” Gitte said. “The plain land gets flooded which is how the waterlogging issue keeps on worsening.”
Funding remains the next hurdle. Gitte suggested that either the Bangladesh government pays up or New Delhi covers projects on both sides of the border. He pointed to the India-funded Akhaura-Agartala railway project as a model for future cooperation. Road, rail, and waterway connectivity between the two nations is already growing.
The National Institute of Hydrology in Roorkee is currently studying the city's drainage problems. Locally, the government plans to finish a 650-meter gap on the Howrah River's northern bank. This requires resettling families currently living on the embankment. Once closed, the barrier will shield areas from Maharaj Ganja Bazar to the City Centre. However, Gitte warned that blocking this gap will shift water pressure toward the southern bank.
The city also faces a looming water shortage. Agartala serves six lakh residents plus two lakh daily visitors. Current infrastructure only meets 70 to 80 percent of demand. Authorities now aim to tap the Gomati River and other sources to bridge the supply gap.
Comments