Agartala, May 08, 2025: A team of experts from the Central Road Research Institute (CRRI) is scheduled to arrive in Tripura within the next two weeks to investigate severe damage on a recently built stretch of National Highway-208, officials from the state Public Works Department (PWD) confirmed.

The affected 25.6-kilometre section between Kamalpur and Khowai, completed in April 2023, has developed extensive cracks and pavement distress over a 12-kilometre segment, following intense rainfall in August 2024.

“Signs of pavement settlement became evident particularly around the Khowai Bypass after the region experienced heavy downpours last August,” said the PWD Secretary Kiran Gitte during a media briefing in Agartala on Thursday. The section remains within its five-year Defect Liability Period (DLP).

Preliminary investigations by the EPC (Engineering, Procurement, and Construction) contractor indicate that the damage originated in the subgrade layer, compromised by high groundwater levels that saturated the soil, causing a loss of shear strength and structural support.

“Initial assessments show that the subgrade failed due to saturation. This led to significant alligator cracking and pavement upheaval,” the PWD official noted. He also emphasized that the highway was constructed in adherence to Indian Roads Congress (IRC) standards and specifications set by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.

The NH-208 project is one of six national highway routes managed jointly by the NHIDCL and the state PWD, covering a total of 793 kilometres across Tripura.

Repair work, already underway for two months, involves excavating and replacing soil up to 2 metres deep and installing drainage barriers to address water accumulation. Officials estimate the restoration may take another two months to complete.

The upcoming CRRI assessment is expected to provide a definitive explanation for the premature road failure.