Majathang residents in Samtse are worried about the safety of the bridge along Samtse-Tashichhoeling highway. The fears were prompted after the swollen Damdhum River washed away the gabion wall along its bank on Wednesday.
The locals fear the swollen river could affect the bridge, which is almost three decades old, next.
“Now, we are scared to cross the bridge. Last time, heavy vehicles were diverted from the other route through the river. But even that has been washed away. There is no other way to cross the bridge. As of now, only empty heavy vehicles ply over it,” Ugyenla said.
Majathang residents are also worried the river might flood their homes in the absence of the protection wall.
“I am worried the river will wash away my house since the protection wall is no longer there. Exams are approaching and if the bridge collapses, my children will be stranded,” Karma Yangzom, a Majathang resident, said.
“The past few days, we have had heavy rainfall and had to stay awake the whole night. We feared the river might change its course and flow towards our homes,” Draley Drukpa from Majathang said.
“The Department of Roads constructed the gabion wall a few months ago. But it got easily washed away. If the river floods our place, it will not just damage our houses but many other government properties too,” he added.
The Executive Engineer with the Department of Roads (DoR) in Samtse, T.B. Powdyel, said the wall collapsed as the boulders the river washed down hit the wire mesh and damaged it.
He added restoration works of the wall will begin as soon as the diversion of the river is complete.
The DoR’s T.B. Powdyel also assured the bridge is safe to use and poses no serious risks.
“I would like to inform the general public that it is very stable except that its carrying capacity has been reduced to 18MT as it has become old,” he said.
“The abutment wall and the pillars are still strong and not damaged although some filling portion has been washed away. We have deployed machine to protect the pillar and divert the river course,” T.B. Powdyel added.
The site supervisor said, if the rain does not interrupt, the river diversion works would be completed in four days.
Of the 15 gewogs in Samtse, 10 are located on the other side of the river and the bridge is crucial for them.
