Tripura’s Public Works Department (PWD) is working on an integrated digital platform aimed at bringing information on infrastructure projects from different departments under a single system.
The initiative is being undertaken as part of the World Bank-funded Tripura Urban Economic Growth and Service Delivery Project and will be developed under the proposed Integrated Transport Network Development Plan (ITNDP).
PWD Chief Engineer of the Road and Building Wing, Anup Kumar Das, said the department plans to prepare and adopt the ITNDP within the next one-and-a-half years.
According to Das, the proposed digital portal will provide information on existing infrastructure, ongoing projects and projects planned for the future across various government departments.
The platform is expected to go beyond roads and bridges and bring different modes of connectivity—including railways, airports, goods transportation and other communication infrastructure—within a coordinated planning framework.
Focus on rural connectivity and trade with Bangladesh
A major objective of the plan will be to improve connectivity between rural production areas and markets, particularly for the movement of agricultural products.
The ITNDP will also examine ways to strengthen Tripura’s transport links with Bangladesh and facilitate increased cross-border trade.
Under the integrated approach, villages, markets, major roads, railway networks, goods transportation centres and border areas will be assessed together to develop a more efficient communication network.
416 km of rural roads planned
The initiative also includes plans for approximately 416.47 km of rural roads, besides two testing laboratories for rural products and passenger transport centres.
Das said the plan would serve as a long-term roadmap for Tripura’s transport infrastructure, helping identify locations where new roads, transport hubs and other connectivity facilities may be required.
The proposed system will particularly examine how agricultural produce can be collected from different rural areas and transported efficiently to markets. It will also identify suitable transport centres and determine which routes should be linked with major roads and railway networks.
The integrated digital platform is expected to help different departments coordinate infrastructure development and support Tripura’s long-term goals of better connectivity, stronger rural markets and expanded trade with neighbouring Bangladesh.