Allegations of corruption and substandard work have brought road construction to a standstill in the Udaipur Rajnagar area under the Matabari RD Block, prompting a swift response from top officials. The construction of an 80-meter road with a 1-meter width, a project allocated after years of anticipation for the Udaipur Matabari region of Tripura, has been marred by concerns over the quality of work right from its inception.
The responsibility for overseeing the project was entrusted to the Panchayat Secretary under the Rajnagar Panchayat, a government employee. However, local residents, community leaders, and even the Panchayat Secretary repeatedly raised concerns about the quality of the construction, urging adherence to the government-specified standards and specifications.
Despite these repeated appeals, no significant action was reportedly taken by the Rajnagar Panchayat. Frustrated by the lack of response and mounting evidence of poor workmanship, the local community brought the matter to the attention of the Matabari Block Development Officer (BDO).
Following the complaint, Matabari Panchayat Samiti Chairperson Shilpi Das, Block Development Officer (BDO) Shubhabrata Dey, along with engineers, immediately rushed to the construction site. Their on-site inspection corroborated the allegations made by the residents, confirming instances of substandard work.
Speaking to reporters at the scene, BDO Shubhabrata Dey acknowledged that some of the complaints were indeed valid. He stated that the Panchayat Secretary of the Gram Panchayat was entrusted with overseeing the work and emphasized that clear instructions had been issued to ensure the project was completed while maintaining the stipulated quality standards.
Chandan Debnath, a local resident, expressed the community’s grievances to the media, stating that the substandard work had been ongoing for several days, forcing them to escalate the issue to the BDO. He welcomed the BDO’s directive to ensure quality work as per the specifications.
Further allegations from the community pointed towards the involvement of certain influential individuals in attempting to complete the work using substandard materials and methods. However, the residents have made it clear to the media that they expect the government funds allocated for the project to be utilized for quality construction and are prepared to take necessary action if their demands are not met.
The local population is now keenly observing whether the remaining work will adhere to the required quality standards, ensuring the long-awaited road is built to last.
