Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Member of Parliament and former Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb has appealed to the Union Government for urgent financial assistance to restart the state’s ambitious lighthouse housing project, which has been stalled due to unexpected construction challenges. Speaking at a public programme in Ramnagar, West Tripura, on Sunday, Deb revealed that he recently met Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Manohar Lal Khattar to request the release of an additional ₹49 crore for the project’s completion. The lighthouse project, launched virtually by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2021, aims to build 1,000 affordable residential flats using innovative and sustainable construction technologies.
“The project holds great promise for the people of Tripura. However, due to unforeseen complications at the construction site, the initial funds have been exhausted. I have requested the Honourable Minister to expedite the release of ₹49 crore so that work can resume without further delay,” Deb said. Deb explained that the project site, located in the Akhaura area of Agartala, turned out to be a wetland—a condition not fully accounted for during the planning phase. This required extensive piling work, which significantly increased the cost. “The DPR (Detailed Project Report) did not anticipate the challenges posed by the soil condition. As a result, a substantial portion of the allocated funds went into foundational work,” he noted.
He added that the proposal for the revised budget has been sent to the Ministry’s legal division to ensure procedural clearance and avoid audit objections. “I have urged Khattar-ji to release at least ₹20 to ₹25 crore immediately so that the construction doesn’t remain halted any longer,” Deb told the gathering. Calling the lighthouse project a flagship initiative in Tripura’s urban development roadmap, Deb stressed that timely completion is essential to provide dignified housing to citizens, particularly lower-income families. The project is also seen as a model for using modern, eco-friendly technologies to expedite construction without compromising on quality.
