Agartala, September 22: Tripura Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha on Tuesday inaugurated the 1,700-metre-long Haora Riverfront Development Project in the state capital at a cost of Rs 96 crore, describing it as the second riverfront project in the Northeast after the Brahmaputra riverfront in Guwahati, Assam.
The project, developed along the Haora river, has transformed the river embankment into a landscaped public space with facilities aimed at recreation, tourism and environmental improvement. Agartala Mayor and MLA Dipak Majumder, MLA Meenarani Sarkar and other dignitaries were present at the inauguration.
Saha said the project has not only enhanced the aesthetic appeal of the area but has also strengthened the river embankment. He said the riverfront would be extended further along both banks of the Howra in phases.
According to the Chief Minister, the project is among only a handful of five riverfront projects in the country and is the second in the northeastern states after Assam.
The 1,700-metre stretch includes an elevated walkway, cycling lane, walking path, open gym, food plaza, zip line, nature trail and other recreational facilities. The project also includes green and landscaped areas intended to make the riverfront an environmentally attractive public space.
Saha said the riverfront is expected to give a boost to tourism and provide a new recreational space for residents, particularly children, youth and senior citizens.
The agency involved in construction will also be responsible for maintaining the riverfront for five years under the project arrangement, he said. The Chief Minister appealed to local residents to help maintain the facilities and said surveillance cameras had been installed around the area to support monitoring and upkeep.
Saha also linked the riverfront development with the state’s broader plans to improve waterways and river-based connectivity. He said work on establishing waterway connectivity between Tripura and Bangladesh through the Gomati river had already begun, including dredging, but progress had slowed following the political crisis in the neighbouring country.
“We were moving at a good pace, but because of the present situation in Bangladesh, the pace of the work has slowed down. However, I believe it will happen in the coming days,” Saha told reporters.
The Chief Minister said improving navigability of the state’s rivers would also have economic implications and could contribute to increasing trade and connectivity.
Saha said the government intends to extend the riverfront project further so that both banks have stronger embankments while retaining the area’s recreational and environmental character. He added that another similar project work at Katakhal is underway.
The Haora riverfront project is expected to emerge as a new public and tourism space in Agartala while also serving the wider objective of strengthening the river embankment and improving the urban landscape along the river.
