People of Mitshig_Shana and Chhungjey_Zamser chiwog are still hoping for their farm road to be blacktopped. They say political parties have been pledging in every election to blacktop the farm road from Drukgyel to Shana in Tsento Gewog, but nothing has been done, so far.
The road is filled with huge potholes and people blame the heavy vehicles carrying stones and timber for construction.
This 18 km farm road was first constructed in 2010. Some maintenance work was done in the last government’s term with a budget allocated to construct a road from Shana to Shingkarap.
However, today the road is riddled with huge potholes everywhere. People say it gets difficult for light vehicles to travel without getting hit.
“The gewog tries to mend the road every year but since there are heavy vehicles travelling frequently, it damages our road,” Kinley, a resident, said.
“The government gave us a well-constructed road when they first handed over to the people but now, trucks damaged our road. If we have to come by taxi, we have to pay around Nu 700 and that also if they agree to come. Most taxis refuse because of the bad road,” Chencho, another resident, said.
“During rainy days, it is difficult to travel. We mostly grow potatoes and we have to take it to Phuentsholing. There are lots of potholes. Our source of income is potato and the vehicle fare shoots up. We spend so much and then sometimes potatoes don’t fetch a good price. It is a hard time for farmers without a good road,” added Phub Dorji.
The gewog administration said no budget has been allocated for the road maintenance from the Gewog Annual Grant. The issue was discussed several times in the Dzongkhag Tshogdu (DT) sessions. People requested the Department of Roads (DoR) to take over the farm road so that it gets blacktopped.
“The road also benefits the people of Soe Gewog and Lingzhi Dungkhag. Moreover, a couple of years ago, materials for Lingzhi Dzong renovation works were transported via this farm road. This road has benefitted us in so many ways. The farm road served as a highway and I even said that during Dzongkhag Tshogdu,” Dolay Tshering, the Tsento Gup, said.
The road also leads to some of the popular trekking routes for tourists and to Nubri and Yagsa. The gup said these add even more reasons to consider the blacktopping. The DT wrote to the DoR and they are still waiting for the answer. The DoR in Paro said since farm roads are looked gewogs, the department cannot do anything about it.
Sangay Chezom
