Tripura Chief Minister Prof. Dr Manik Saha on Thursday said that, in addition to addressing the traffic congestion and parking problems of Agartala city, another important step has been taken towards developing modern civic infrastructure.
Chief Minister Prof. Dr Manik Saha said this while inaugurating the newly constructed multi-level car parking and commercial complex on Old Motor Stand Road in Agartala on Thursday.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr Saha said that the foundation stone of this project was laid in 2022. In order to complete the work within the stipulated time frame, inquiries were made repeatedly about the progress of the project. Finally, the project was completed on time, and its journey started today.
He said that the old motor stand area had once become a centre of chaos and various kinds of problems.
“In the past, land was forcibly occupied in the name of party unions, and an environment of unnecessary agitation was created by creating divisions between car owners and workers. But with the change of time, that situation has also changed,” he said.
The Chief Minister said that the current state government is not against any worker or car owner. By protecting their interests, proper arrangements are being made for their seating and parking. Along with this, the main goal of the current government is to develop the state by bringing a touch of modernity to the heart of Agartala city.
Dr Saha said that since 2018, the current government has been implementing one development project after another.
Mentioning the uniqueness of this project, the Chief Minister said that the multi-level car parking and commercial complex has been built under the public-private partnership (PPP) model.
“The government has not spent a single penny on the project. Rather, the private investment company has offered the government a land premium in exchange for the use of the space. As a result, the government has also created a permanent source of income by receiving an annual fee every year,” he said.
The Chief Minister also said that the introduction of this multi-level car parking facility will greatly reduce traffic congestion in Agartala city.
“Legal action will be taken against illegal parking on the roads so that traffic movement in the city remains normal. There are plans to develop similar parking systems in several other areas of the city,” he said.
The Chief Minister said that one of the biggest achievements of this project is the creation of employment opportunities for a large number of local youth.
He also said that work on building a large ‘Unity Mall’ at Badharghat is underway, and the target of completing it by March next year has been set.
The event was attended by Agartala Municipal Corporation (AMC) Mayor and MLA Dipak Majumdar, Agartala Municipal Corporation Deputy Mayor Monika Das Dutta, councillor Ratna Dutta, Chief Minister’s Secretary Kiran Gitte, Urban Development Department Secretary Milind Ramteke, Municipal Corporation Commissioner Saju Wahid A., and others.