Agartala, August 13, 2025: The National Highways Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) has set a firm October deadline for contractors to complete repair works on damaged stretches of national highways in Tripura. The directive came from NHIDCL Managing Director Krishan Kumar after a two-day inspection tour and high-level meetings with Chief Minister Manik Saha and Chief Secretary J.K. Singha, according to an official statement issued on Wednesday.

Kumar, accompanied by State PWD Secretary Kiran Gitte, conducted on-site inspections covering the Subalsingh–Khowai, Khowai–Manik Bhander, Manik Bhander–Saikabari, and Churaibari–Panitilla stretches. The inspection revealed severe deterioration on several portions, prompting the MD to warn that contractors failing to meet the October target would face “stringent action.”

To address recurring road damage, particularly on the Khowai–Manik Bhander stretch, the NHIDCL has constituted a technical expert team to determine the root causes. The team has already visited the site and is expected to submit its findings in September, based on which rectification measures will be initiated.

The issue of the poor condition of Tripura’s national highways has been under active discussion at the highest level. CM Saha had recently raised the matter with Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari, urging urgent intervention to restore vital road links in the state.