Residents of Lauri, Serthig and Langchenphu Gewogs under Jomotshangkha Dungkhag remained cut off from the rest of the districts after the closure of borders since March last year. Without an internal road, travelling out of the dungkhag was never safe, however, this is all going to change for the better with the Jomotshangkha-Samrang highway taking shape.
The road between Samrang Gewog in Samdrupchholing Dungkhag and Langchenphu Gewog in Jomotshangkha Dungkhag was connected last month. And people from Jomotshangkha are already reaping the benefits, even if it is too soon.
“The road is connected from both the sides but the condition of the road is not good, it is narrow and is not safe to travel currently so it is not open to traffic officially however for emergency cases we allow them to travel,” said Wangdi, an engineer with the Department of Roads (DoR) in Samdrup Jongkhar.
Though the road is not good, it has made it possible for Kelzang Nidup and his friends from Lauri to travel till Samrang Gewog to make a living. Without an internal road connection before, and the border gate closed, Kelzang Nidup and his friends stayed at home without having any work.
“In the past, when the border gate is closed, I went to Kangpar on foot to work. The journey takes two days and we have to go through Merag Gewog. Though the internal road is not officially open, vehicles can ply through it. So now forget about walking, we are able to reach Samrang in a few hours. We are working hard, in a day we are able to construct two metres of wall and earn about Nu 1,400,” said Kelzang Nidup, from Lauri Gewog.
“Without an internal road and the border gate closed, I stayed at home without doing anything. However, now with this road, we are able to travel and find work,” said Tshering Dorji, also from Lauri Gewog.
People have high hopes and their dreams are already materialising. According to the DoR, the construction of the 58-kilometre Samrang-Jomotshangkha highway will be fully complete with everything in place by 2023. However, it will be opened to traffic within a few months.
“We are planning to complete all the related works of Samrang-Jomotshangkha highway by 2023, however, the road will be made safe to travel by June 2021. The road will be widened by 8.5 metres and then we will let vehicles to ply,” said the engineer from the DoR.
Project DANTAK is carrying out the constructions.
Meanwhile, the DoR has completed bridge construction at Nunai River and the constriction of the bridge at Kalanadi River is expected to complete by end of this month.
Kinley Wangchuk, Samdrup Jongkhar
