Hundreds of villagers on Monday staged a road blockade at Baburbazar in Kailashahar, demanding the immediate repair of the Tilabazar–Hirachhara road, which they alleged has remained in a severely damaged and unmotorable condition for nearly six months despite repeated appeals to the authorities.
The protesters claimed they had informed the local Panchayat authorities and the district administration on several occasions, but no effective action had been taken to restore the road. As a result, they launched the blockade around 10 am, disrupting vehicular movement in the area.
On receiving information, a large contingent of police and Tripura State Rifles (TSR) personnel, led by Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Irani police station, Biraj Debbarma, rushed to the spot and initiated talks with the demonstrators.
According to the protesters, the Public Works Department (PWD) had undertaken repair work on the Tilabazar–Hirachhara road nearly six months ago. However, they alleged that the work was carried out only superficially, and within a few days, large potholes developed, rendering the road virtually unfit for traffic.
The residents said that after receiving no response from the local Panchayat, they had also submitted a written complaint to PWD officials. Despite this, no corrective measures were taken, prompting them to resort to the road blockade.
Following discussions between the protesters and PWD officials, the department assured the residents that the tender process for comprehensive repair of the road would be initiated shortly and that preparations were already underway. After receiving the assurance, the protesters withdrew the blockade at around 12 noon.
The two-hour blockade caused severe traffic congestion, with a large number of vehicles stranded on both sides of the road. Commuters and pedestrians also faced considerable inconvenience.
The Tilabazar–Hirachhara road serves as the only road link for nearly 20,000 residents across nine Gram Panchayats, making it a vital route for access to Kailashahar town. The prolonged neglect of the road has triggered widespread public resentment.
Meanwhile, in a separate incident, students of Tilabazar Government Madrasa staged another road blockade at the Tilabazar tri-junction on the Kailashahar–Rangauti road, protesting the acute shortage of teachers at their institution.
Education Department officials later visited the protest site and assured the students that teachers would be appointed at the school shortly. Following the assurance, the students called off their blockade after nearly two hours.