Agartala, August 6:
In a renewed push to restore Tripura’s only hydropower facility, a high-level expert team conducted a comprehensive inspection of the Dumboor Hydel Project and held strategic meetings at the Jatanbari Revenue Dak Bungalow on Monday. The visit marks a serious effort to revive the non-functional project, which has remained idle since suffering extensive flood damage last year.
The expert team included Tripura’s newly appointed Managing Director Bishwajit Basu, AGM Manoj Debbarma, Civil Works Nodal Officer Tapan Majumdar, Senior Managers Binimoy Chakraborty and Manoj Dewan, along with specialists from central public sector giants NHPC and BHEL—highlighting the gravity of the mission.
The Dumboor Hydel Project, once considered a vital source of clean and cost-efficient energy, was severely damaged in last year’s floods. The halt in power generation has come at a time when Tripura is grappling with energy shortages and the rising cost of gas-based electricity production.
During the inspection, the team examined structural damage and outdated machinery. The review concluded with a unanimous recommendation for full-scale modernisation, including the replacement of turbines, electrical systems, and other key components to bring the project back into operation.
The representatives from NHPC and BHEL will submit a detailed technical report outlining their recommendations. This report will move through the Circle Office, GM Office, and the Board before reaching the Power Department and, ultimately, the state’s Power Minister.
The revival of Dumboor is expected to not only ease the state’s power burden but also restore confidence in Tripura’s dormant public sector potential. Intellectuals and stakeholders have long criticised the government’s perceived inaction, recalling that the Dumboor Hydel Project was once envisioned as a transformative project inaugurated by former PM Indira Gandhi and CM Sachindra Lal Singh.
