Betaga Baidya Para in South Tripura has been gripped by anger and concern following serious allegations of substandard construction of a bricks soling road, sanctioned under a state government development project. The road was intended to connect the National Highway with the Baikhora Primary Health Centre, a vital link for local residents, patients, and emergency services.
According to villagers, the construction work has been executed using poor-quality bricks, raising questions about both workmanship and supervision. Residents claim that sections of the road have started collapsing even under the weight of a single vehicle, making it unsafe for daily use. Locals allege that the road was awarded to contractor Ajay Ghosh of Amarpur, but that quality norms have been blatantly ignored during construction.
Anger has also been directed at the Baikhora Public Works Department (PWD). Villagers allege that PWD officials and engineers are fully aware of the poor-quality work but have failed to take any corrective action. This alleged silence and inaction have led to widespread suspicion of collusion between the contractor and departmental officials.
Further intensifying the controversy, serious allegations have been levelled against Jolaibari Block Chairman Tapas Dutta. Local residents claim that he routinely collects money from contractors, which allegedly results in compromised construction quality across several development projects under the Baikhora PWD. Though these allegations remain unverified, they have added to public outrage and demands for a thorough inquiry.
In response, residents of Betaga Baidya Para have staged protests, demanding immediate reconstruction of the road using standard materials and strict adherence to government specifications. Protesters have also called for accountability, insisting that officials responsible for monitoring the project be held answerable.
Locals stress that government-funded development projects are meant to serve public welfare, not private interests. They have urged higher authorities to intervene, conduct a transparent investigation, and ensure that public money is not wasted on substandard and unsafe infrastructure.
