People in Chhoekhor-Tang are all smiles with the much-hyped 35-kilometre farm road blacktopping pledge the Druk Nyamrup Tshogpa launched during the 2020 bye-election finally coming to fruition. Initial works to blacktop the three farm roads of Chhoekhor, Dhur and Tang are underway and actual blacktopping works in some areas will begin by next month. The government allocated Nu 150 M for the project.
Out of the three roads, the 15-kilometre Chhoekhor Toed farm road had long been a subject of political agenda. The road was also previously pledged for blacktopping by political parties and their candidates. People hoped the road would get blacktopped soon but it never happened. Today people say the bye-election came to them as a blessing in disguise.
“We are happy that the road is getting blacktopped finally and we would like to thank the government,” said Kharsa-Thangbi Tshogpa Kinley Tshering. “When the actual blacktopping works begin, we hope that the contractor will ensure quality so that the people are benefitted for years.”
“In some districts, there are cases where even Gewog and Dzongkhag roads are not blacktopped, so the blacktopping project here definitely raised a few eyebrows. But we think the government allocated the budget based on its eligibility,” said Tenzin, a Tashiling resident in Chhoekhor.
The farm road blacktopping was a major pledge the ruling party unveiled to garner support during the bye-election. However, the government was hit by a political backlash from the Opposition and the People’s Democratic Party after the budget was seen as allegedly allocated from deprioritized projects in other districts. They cautioned the government that this could set a bad precedent and would disrupt the country’s long-established equitable and regionally balanced development vision.
“It is certain that this would attract criticism from the parties or people who do not support me. Whether they take it as a politically-driven road or not, I don’t see a need to talk politics today,” said Chhoekhor-Tang MP Dawa. “The roads are eligible for blacktopping and are important for the people. That’s why the Prime Minister and the Works and Human Settlement Minister approved the project.”
Meanwhile, at Dhur, base course laying works are in full swing. As the road has heavy traffic due to quarrying and logging activities in the area, people are already concerned if the blacktop would serve its purpose.
“As quarry and timber trucks ply the road almost on a daily basis, the blacktop would last only if the contractor stabilizes the road base properly from the very beginning of the foundation laying works,” said Tashi Tshering from Dhur. “The budget allocated shouldn’t go to waste.”
MP Dawa said his biggest concern is in ensuring the quality of the blacktopping works. Community quality monitoring committees have been formed to regularly check the progress and standard of work.
“The Department of Roads, the Dzongkhag and Gewog administrations and the people, in general, should take the responsibility to keep a tab on the workmanship and the quality of the works,” he said. “I will personally monitor the works and I would also like to request the contractor to perform the job with high standards. Otherwise, there will be complications when it is finally handed over to the agencies concerned and the people.”
The Department of Roads which is executing the works has contracted out the project to two contractors. The department plans to finish the works by November this year though the completion date is March, next year. All three farm roads will get a three-centimetre thick blacktop.
Kipchu, Bumthang
Edited by Yeshi Gyaltshen
