Former Tripura Chief Minister and West Tripura MP Biplab Kumar Deb on Thursday met Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari in New Delhi and sought urgent intervention to improve the state's road infrastructure, including the repair of damaged national highways and the speedy execution of pending projects.

During the meeting, Deb highlighted the poor condition of several national highways across Tripura, the slow pace of works being carried out by the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL), and the need to expedite long-pending ropeway projects that are expected to boost tourism in the state.

He particularly raised concerns over the deteriorating condition of NH-8, especially the Agartala–Khowai–Kailashahar route and the Ranir Bazar–Hatikatar (Barmura) stretch, where large potholes have made travel difficult. Deb requested that these stretches be repaired immediately by removing muddy soil and laying Water Bound Macadam (WBM) or stone metalling as a temporary measure until permanent work is completed. He also informed the Minister that a central team has already initiated steps to address the issue.

The MP further pointed out the poor state of other key highways, including Kumarghat–Kailashahar (NH-208), Kailashahar–Khowai (NH-208), Agartala–Khowai (NH-108B), and the Ranir Bazar–Kumarghat–Churaibari section of NH-8. He said the damaged roads are causing significant inconvenience to commuters, traders and transport operators, and urged the Centre to prioritise their repair and upgradation.

Deb also expressed dissatisfaction over the slow progress of 13 major NHIDCL projects in Tripura. While official reports suggest the projects are on schedule, he said the actual pace of work on the ground tells a different story and called for stricter monitoring to ensure timely completion.

The discussion also covered three proposed ropeway projects linking Maharani to Chabimura, Udaipur Railway Station to Tripurasundari Temple (Matabari), and Tripurasundari Temple to Chabimura. Officials of the National Highways Logistics Management Limited (NHLML) informed the meeting that tenders have already been issued for preparing fresh Detailed Project Reports (DPRs), and work is expected to commence soon.

Deb urged the Union Minister to resolve procedural bottlenecks so that the ropeway projects can be implemented without further delay.

Responding positively, Nitin Gadkari assured the MP that the Centre would give due attention to all the issues raised and instructed the concerned officials to take necessary steps to accelerate road development and infrastructure projects in Tripura.