Growing concerns have surfaced regarding the substandard construction of roads in the picturesque Jampui Hills region in Tripura, leading to the emergence of cracks and landslides, and posing a significant threat to the local population.
The condition of the Singlum-Bhangmun road, a vital artery in the Jampui Hills, is also reportedly precarious.
The repeated occurrence of road collapses in the region is attributed to the unscientific alignment and the utilization of inferior retaining walls, which were constructed by a contractor of a Hyderabad-based Company under the supervision of the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL).
In response to this alarming situation, Rahul Modi, the Sub-Divisional Magistrate of Kanchanpur, ordered the suspension of construction activities carried out by JSR Private Limited, a construction company based in Hyderabad responsible for the road project.
However, the suspension of construction work has raised further concerns about the vulnerability of the hillside to further soil erosion, exacerbated by continuous rainfall. Reportedly, JSR officials have become unavailable following the suspension of work.
This suspension of construction work on the Singlum-Bhangmun national highway, citing subpar work under JSR Private Limited, has drawn public attention and angst.
Recently, Tyaksi village under Jampui Hills in Tripura became isolated due to improper hill soil excavation during road construction. The village’s primary road suffered extensive damage, resulting in the displacement of numerous families. Given the precarious condition of land in Tyaksi, experts are faced with the challenging task of finding a solution to prevent the village from sinking.
Sources have alleged that the mandated use of quality rods and stone chips by the government was not adhered to. Instead of utilizing good quality mature stones for road construction, JSR reportedly opted for substandard stones imported from Mizoram.
Although JSR Pvt Ltd is responsible for implementing the construction, the project falls under the jurisdiction of NHIDCL, and sources have raised questions about the authorities’ oversight of the subpar quality of work.
Citing environmental hazards, concerns have also arisen regarding the unauthorized installation of stone crusher machines on government-owned land.
A resident of the Jampui hills region expressed concerns and said, “Unscientific construction and alignments of roads with poor retention walls have increased the risk of landslides and cave-in incidents in the entire area, which is one of the prime tourist attractions of Tripura. The administration needs to take permanent measures to ensure the area’s stability.”