The Ministry of Works and Human Settlement (MoWHS) will spend the maximum capital budget to improve and maintain the resilience of road networks in the country in the current fiscal year. This was one of the top priorities highlighted in the ministry’s Annual Performance Agreement (APA).
The ministry signed the APA with the Prime Minister Dr Lotay Tshering today.
According to the ministry, they have a total budget of Nu 2.56bn for the financial year 2019-2020. Of the total capital outlay, the major portion of the budget will be allocated to the Department of Roads (DoR).
Besides the regular work of improving the existing road networks through blacktopping and resurfacing, the ministry will work on enhancing the load capacity on National Highways, Industrial highways and bridges from 18 metric tons to 30/50 metric tons.
The ministry also plans to initiate activities to develop climate-resilient road through the development of guidelines for design and using a new technology of mixing of plastic with bitumen and rigid pavement.
“We are susceptible to climate change, this year if you look, so much damage has been done to our roads and because of this, we have to go on restoring the road networks, spending millions and millions. Some of the roads, we are not able to restore for a month because some 300 to 400 metres of roads are completely washed away by landslides,” Chencho Dorji, the MoWHS’s Secretary, said.
He added the ministry will also undertake other activities like green growth in the construction industry focusing on environment-friendly constructions and in enhancing the sustainability of human settlement among others.
