Agartala, July 1: A group of women staged a road blockade on the Sonamura–Belonia road at South Maheshpur in Tripura’s Sepahijala district on Wednesday, demanding the immediate restoration of drinking water supply that has remained disrupted for nearly a week.
According to the protesters, residents of a part of South Maheshpur Gram Panchayat under the Kathalia block have been facing an acute drinking water shortage after a major leakage developed in a pipeline supplying water to the area. They alleged that despite repeatedly informing the concerned authorities about the problem, no effective steps had been taken to repair the damaged pipeline or restore regular water supply.
Frustrated by the prolonged disruption, a large number of women came out onto the streets carrying empty water pots as a symbol of their protest. They blocked the South Maheshpur Bypass on the Sonamura–Belonia road at around 8:30 am, bringing vehicular movement on the busy route to a halt.
The blockade caused significant traffic disruption, with several long-distance buses, commercial vehicles, and numerous small and medium-sized vehicles stranded on both sides of the road. The traffic jam continued for a considerable period, causing inconvenience to commuters and passengers travelling through the area.
The protesters claimed that neither officials from the local administration nor representatives of the ruling party had visited the locality to assess the situation or address their concerns. They expressed disappointment over what they described as the authorities’ failure to respond promptly to a basic public necessity.
Demanding immediate intervention, the women urged the administration to repair the damaged pipeline without further delay and ensure the restoration of regular drinking water supply. They warned that if the problem persists, they would intensify their agitation in the coming days.
Local residents said the ongoing water crisis has severely affected daily life, forcing families to depend on alternative sources of water for drinking and household needs. They appealed to the Public Health Engineering (PHE) Department to take urgent measures to resolve the issue and prevent similar disruptions in the future.
There was no immediate response from the district administration or the concerned department regarding the protesters’ allegations.
