Agartala, August 3:
Tripura Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha on Monday inspected the ongoing rejuvenation and beautification works of several historic water bodies in Agartala and directed officials to complete the projects within the next three months, reaffirming the government’s commitment to improving urban infrastructure and restoring the city’s heritage under Smart City Project and ADB Funding
Accompanied by Agartala Municipal Corporation (AMC) Commissioner Saju Wahid, Mayor Dipak Majumder, local corporators and senior officials, the Chief Minister visited the century-old Prabhu Bari pond and Madhyapara pond and reviewed the progress of the restoration work.
Addressing reporters after the inspection, Dr. Saha said the state government has undertaken the renovation and revival of nearly 35 old ponds across Agartala, many of which had fallen into a state of neglect over the years.
“Most of these ponds were in a very poor condition. We have taken up their renovation and rejuvenation one by one. A few days ago I visited the pond at Shib Bari and it has been transformed beautifully. The Prabhu Bari pond is also a very old water body, but large portions had been encroached upon. Those encroachments have been removed and restoration work is progressing well,” he said.
The Chief Minister said he had earlier received reports that work at the Prabhu Bari site was moving slowly, but expressed satisfaction after the inspection. He nevertheless instructed officials to expedite the remaining work and ensure its completion within three months.
According to Dr. Saha, around Rs 3.5 crore is being spent on the ongoing development of the Prabhu Bari and Madhyapara water bodies, while similar projects at other locations involve investments of around Rs 1.5 crore each.
He said the rejuvenation of ponds would not only preserve the city’s heritage but also improve the surrounding environment and public spaces.
“The atmosphere of these areas will improve significantly. We have many more projects in the pipeline and they are being implemented in phases. Funds are being mobilised from various sources, including the Agartala Smart City Mission and other development programmes,” he said.
Highlighting the transformation of the state capital, Dr. Saha claimed that Agartala has witnessed substantial improvement over the past few years.
“I will not say the city has improved 100 per cent, but at least 85 per cent of the earlier problems have been addressed. There is still much more to be done. As far as performance is concerned, the sky is the limit. We are working for the people, and our primary objective is to resolve public problems,” he said.
Reflecting on his personal connection with the locality, the Chief Minister said Madhyapara holds special memories from his childhood.
“I spent my childhood in this area. I used to come here regularly and play here. Even today those memories remain fresh. It feels good to see Agartala becoming more beautiful,” he remarked.
Dr. Saha said the government wants to be remembered for solving people’s problems while simultaneously conserving the state’s historical assets.
“Our objective is to resolve public grievances while restoring our heritage. We are working in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of development. After returning from Kolkata, I felt I should personally inspect the work. I remain in regular touch with the Mayor and the local corporator and keep track of the progress. Today’s inspection showed that the work is up to the mark and I am confident it will be completed on time,” he added.
