Agartala: Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Monday said he would take up the issue of recurring traffic congestion at Churaibari along the Assam-Tripura border with Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to find a permanent solution.
Speaking to media here a day after wrapping up his visit to North Tripura district, Saha said, “I visited Churaibari following several complaints and instructed the authorities to take strict action after hearing all grievances. A shortage of space at the checking point on the Assam side often strands long queues of vehicles, causing traffic jams. The matter needed urgent attention. I will definitely take up the matter with Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma for speedy redressal.”
The chief minister also referred to complaints about a stone-crushing unit in the area and said he found the unit shut when he visited the site. “Officials informed me that the unit caused severe pollution in the surrounding areas. As per norms, authorities require stone-crushing units to be set up at a stipulated distance from the national highway, but the operators violate this rule,” he observed.
Saha said that when he sought clarification on whether the unit had obtained environmental clearance, the operators stated that they had applied for it. He noted that due to lack of proper monitoring, the situation had worsened over time. He stressed that authorities must provide adequate watering and implement environmental protection measures.
Saha further said that workers often transported the stones brought to the site for crushing in overweight vehicles. “Although authorities imposed fines, the penalty amounts remained negligible, encouraging repeated violations. Operators must stop this practice, and the government must implement reforms to address the issue effectively,” he added.
During his visit, Saha also inspected the Indian Oil depot, where officials informed him about an alleged racket extorting money from drivers.
He said he had instructed all concerned not to entertain such rackets and had spoken to Indian Oil officials, asking them to keep him informed if any further issues arose.
The chief minister said he had scheduled a visit to the Food Corporation of India godown as well, but time constraints prevented him from going.