Agartala: District Magistrate West Tripura Dr Vishal Kumar on Wednesday acknowledged that rampant land diversion sans scientific planning has brought changes in the land profile in the urban areas and hence the administration needs to work out a comprehensive city development plan.
Speaking at a press briefing at the DM’s conference hall on Wednesday, Dr. Kumar stated, “This is a very sensitive issue. In many areas, land diversion has been occurring recently, while in some places it has been happening for years. These activities have caused significant changes to our land profile, and we need to devise a holistic solution to address this issue.”
Dr. Kumar cited specific examples to illustrate the problem, saying, “For example, areas like Barjala and Lanka Basti—suburban regions of Agartala—were once wetlands. However, due to a shortage of residential land as the city expanded and the influx of people migrating from rural areas, these lands were converted into usable plots. The land was also more affordable, which led to its popularity for settlement. Now, if we abruptly halt this land diversion, we could face adverse reactions from the public. Therefore, the district administration, in collaboration with Agartala Municipal Corporation (AMC) and other agencies, is working on a comprehensive town planning strategy.”
Dr. Kumar also outlined a proposal to develop a water reservoir in the Barjala area. “A proposal has been submitted to set up a water reservoir in Barjala. This would serve multiple purposes, including water conservation and disaster relief. With the city continuing to expand, we must plan projects that have water-holding capacity,” he explained.
He further elaborated on the city’s expansion, noting that initially, Agartala covered 31 square kilometers. In the second phase, the city expanded to 64 square kilometers, and the new proposal envisions covering 121 square kilometers. “We need to strike a balance in planning, addressing both disaster relief and the affordable availability of land,” Dr. Kumar said.
Monitoring Unauthorised Land Diversion
Dr. Kumar also stressed the administration’s commitment to closely monitor unauthorized land diversion that negatively affects public assets. “In some cases, people have converted large ponds into dry land, which harms public infrastructure like roads. Such activities will not be tolerated,” he asserted.
Flood Relief and Compensation Efforts
On the issue of flood relief, Dr. Kumar informed that Sadar and Jirania subdivisions in West Tripura district were the most affected by the recent floods. “A total of Rs 9 crore has been allocated for compensation in the Sadar subdivision, and Rs 1.5 crore has been allocated for Mohanpur and Jirania subdivisions. Additionally, Rs 6 crore worth of work has been allocated for three blocks: Dukli, Old Agartala, and Jirania by the Rural Development Department. Some applications for re-assessment are currently under review,” he said.
Dr. Kumar further stated that separate assessments by the Agriculture and ARDD (Agricultural Rural Development Department) have already been submitted for evaluation.
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