The Shingkhar-Gorgan highway would have reduced the distance between Bumthang and Lhuentse by about a hundred kilometres. It was a pledge made by all three elected governments. While the pledge remained only on the parties’ manifestoes, it has prolonged the blacktopping of Maedtsho Gewog Connectivity (GC) road. Three years after the blacktopping works commenced, the 12-kilometre stretch between the gewog centre and Silabi was completed in March last year. The remaining eight-kilometre stretch between Silabi and Gorgan was recently started after the wait for the promised highway proved futile.
Since the eight-kilometre stretch between Silabi and Gorgan falls along the proposed Shingkhar-Gorgan highway, the blacktopping was not included in the 12th Five Year Plan. The understanding was that the construction of the highway would take care of the blacktopping of the stretch. While the gewog administration and the district requested both the previous government and the current government to prioritise the blacktopping, it was not included in any plan.
“The current blacktopping was not included in the 12th Five Year Plan. It was also not included in the plan of the department of roads and Lhuentse Dzongkhag as well. That stretch got neglected due to the project of Shingkhar and Gorgan bypass construction,” said Gembo, the Maedtsho Gup in Lhuentse.
However, to the relief of the residents, the blacktopping works began recently. It is a government of India funded project worth more than Nu 71 M to blacktop the whole stretch of Maedtsho GC road. As of today, more than 55 per cent of the preparation works like the construction of retention walls and drainage systems. Once complete, the GC road will benefit more than 260 households.
“In the earlier days, there were no side drains and it is difficult for the small cars. But as of today, some stretch has been already blacktopped and even there are drains along the road making it convenient for the motorists,” said Tshering Wangmo, the Tshogpa of Obi_Tongthro chiwog under Maedtsho Gewog in Lhuentse.
“The GC road is a basic need to promote economic development in the gewog. Though we don’t have many farmers engaged in commercial farming, the blacktopped road will benefit everyone here to market whatever they produce. Marketing to Monggar and Lhuentse will be made easier and that will improve their livelihoods,” the Maedtsho Gup said.
“With some stretch of the road already blacktopped, it is convenient to travel to Monggar and Lhuentse. In the past, we used to face difficulty in travelling to these places,” added Pema Zangmo, a farmer in Maedtsho Gewog.
Meanwhile, people are still hopeful for the Shingkhar-Gorgan highway to materialise. However, with the blacktopping of the Silabi-Gorgan stretch underway, the wait won’t affect their hope for a smooth ride on the GC road.
Sonam Tshering, Lhuentse
Edited by Sonam
