Tripura road link reconnected

Though Tripura was reconnected via road links with Bangladesh after a gap of 20 days, water from the river Bhairab in the neighbouring country continued to enter Tripura inundating parts of this capital town.

Over 10,000 people of 2,500 families were rendered homeless as parts of Agartala were submerged by overflowing waters from Bangladesh, official sources said today.

Sub-divisional magistrate of Agartala, Shambu Nama, said water from swollen Bhairab was entering villages close to the international border and submerged at least 30 villages.

Affected people have taken shelter in nearby schools and government buildings, he said, adding they were given financial assistance. Some voluntary organisations started distributing food and clothes among the displaced people.

The Bhairav has flooded Brahmanbaria district of Bangladesh and is flowing much above the danger level due to incessant rains in that country.

As the Assam-Agartala National Highway 44 opened yesterday, supply of essential commodities including petrol is likely to be normal in Tripura.

The state remained cut-off for about 20 days as NH 44 remained blocked by flood water and landslides at Badarpur in Assam and Sonarpur in Meghalaya.

Food and Civil Supplies Minister Gopal Das today said hundreds of vehicles including petrol tankers already crossed over Badarpur and it was expected that vehicles would reach the state capital by this evening.

After the road at Sonarpur in Meghalaya was cleared on Wednesday, hundreds of Tripura bound vehicles had started moving but were again forced to be stranded at Badarpur as flood water was flowing at one metre height on the NH44.

Prices of essential commodities were escalating in Tripura due to the blockade. Authorities have introduced a special permit system for selling petrol in specified quantities to prevent black marketing, official sources said.