The 48-kilometre Dewathang to Samdrupchhoeling Dungkhag secondary highway is not likely to improve anytime soon, even as the Ministry of Works and Human Settlement (MoWHS) targets to improve the road network in the country in this fiscal year.
This is because the Department of Roads (DoR) in Samdrup Jongkhar has only Nu 10 M to blacktop the secondary highway in the 2019 -2020 fiscal year.
With a tight annual budget allocation every year, the DoR has been carrying out the blacktopping works phase-wise and so far, they have finished resurfacing around 25 kilometres of the stretch. However, some parts of the blacktopped roads are already riddled with potholes.
The commuters say with the road condition getting worse, it would be convenient for them if the blacktopping works are carried out at one go.
“We face a lot of problems due to the bad road. It takes hours to travel when the journey should actually take just about two hours. The situation has remained like this for the last three to four years. I do not understand why it is not maintained and who is responsible for the job,” Suresh, a Samdrupchhoeling’s resident, said.
“Every changing government pledges to maintain the road because of more number of gewogs here. But in reality, only a few kilometres, it does not benefit us,” Rinchen Wangdi, another resident, said.
“At times, when sick people need ambulance services, with a poor road, it is difficult reaching them to the hospital on time,” Sonam Zangpo from Dewathang, said.
According to the DoR, it will cost around Nu 286 M to blacktop the entire highway in one go. The office carries out the maintenance works whenever necessary.
Both Members of Parliament of Jomotshangkha-Martshala and Dewathang-Gomdar constituencies also pledged to improve the highway during the 2018 parliamentary elections.
The Dewathang-Samdrupchhoeling highway was constructed in 1979.
Kinley Wangchuk
