It’s only a matter of months before Monggar has all of its gewog connectivity roads blacktopped. The blacktopping works for only two gewogs, Silambi and Gongdue, are left to complete. And both the roads are expected to be complete by June next year.
About 65 per cent of the blacktopping works for 22-kilometre Gongdue Gewog road are complete for now. The dzongkhag administration awarded the contract in two packages.
The first package covered blacktopping and the construction of drains for 14 kilometres road. The contractor completed the works in August this year.
The second package includes the construction of drains and laying of the base with aggregates made from sand, gravel and other minerals for the remaining stretch. These works are underway.
Though the road is yet to be complete, people are already reaping the benefits.
Pema Thinley, a farmer in Gongdue Gewog said, “We are so happy that we now have blacktopped roads. Both light and heavy vehicles can ply on the road. It has made it easier for us to sell our farm produce.”
“There is a big difference travelling on the blacktopped road along Yangbari and Daagsa and travelling on the farm road between Daagsa and Pangthang village. The road, which used to take two hours in the past, now takes only an hour.” said Tenzin, another Farmer from Gongdue.
Tshering, a farmer from Weringla in Gongdue added, “In the past years, we used to reach Weringla from Yangbari in four hours. But now it takes us only three hours. It is not mandatory to blacktop the gewog connectivity road but having a road with GSB also benefits us.”
Similarly, the blacktopping work for 65 kilometres long Silambi Gewog’s road is 60 per cent complete. The contractor is left to construct the drains and blacktop the road.
The blacktopping works for the two gewogs cost more than Nu 214 M.
Sonam Tshering, Monggar
Edited by Sangay Chezom
