By Tripura24 News Desk | Agartala Monday, February 9, 2026
AGARTALA: A catastrophic accident was narrowly avoided on Monday morning at Ramnagar Road No. 1, when a large tree collapsed onto live high-tension electrical wires during ongoing drainage construction. The incident has once again highlighted the severe lack of inter-departmental coordination that has plagued the city’s infrastructure projects, leaving residents in a state of constant fear.
The Incident: A Close Call for Residents
The drama unfolded early Monday morning as laborers were excavating the roadside for the Agartala Municipal Corporation’s (AMC) drain-covering project. Due to the deep digging near the roots, a massive tree lost its stability and crashed directly onto the overhead electrical cables.
The impact was so severe that the live wires were dragged down, coming into direct contact with the boundaries of several residential houses. Eyewitnesses reported hearing loud sparks and seeing smoke. Had the wires snapped or the current leaked into the iron gates of the nearby homes, the city could have witnessed a major tragedy.
Mayor Dipak Majumder Inspects the Site
Upon receiving the news, Agartala Mayor Shri Dipak Majumder rushed to the spot to personally supervise the restoration work. He immediately coordinated with the Tripura State Electricity Corporation Limited (TSECL) to cut off power to the area to prevent electrocution.
“Safety cannot be compromised for development. While covering the drains is essential for a cleaner city, the agencies must ensure that utility lines—be it gas, water, or electricity—are not endangered. I have directed the engineers to be more vigilant and ensure that trees near construction sites are either stabilized or pruned beforehand,” Mayor Dipak Majumder told reporters at the scene.
Utility Lines Under Threat Across the City
This incident is not an isolated one. Across the main roads and narrow lanes of Agartala, the rapid pace of drain-covering has become a double-edged sword:
- Gas & Water Pipelines: Residents have frequently complained about underground gas pipelines being punctured and water mains being snapped by excavators, leading to supply disruptions for days.
- Electrical Hazards: Dangling wires and leaning electric poles have become a common sight in areas where the soil has been loosened for drainage work.
- Public Outcry: Locals at Ramnagar Road No. 1 expressed their anger, stating that while they welcome the covered drains, the “unscientific” way of digging without mapping underground utilities is putting lives at risk.
Restoration Underway
Following the Mayor’s intervention, emergency teams from the Forest Department and TSECL worked together to remove the fallen tree and repair the damaged lines. Power supply was restored to the locality by late afternoon, but the incident has left a lingering sense of anxiety among the citizens.
The Mayor has assured that a “strict monitoring mechanism” will be put in place to ensure that such life-threatening lapses do not recur as the project moves into other congested parts of the city.
