People of Shingchongri at Dechhenling Gewog in Pema Gatshel will no longer have to endure travelling through the bumpy farm road. The road will be blacktopped by the end of this year. Constructed nearly a decade ago, the 3.6-kilometre farm road hasn’t been blacktopped even once.
The farm road connects the village to Dechhenling Lower Secondary School, the Primary Health Centre and other two chiwogs. Due to heavy rainfall during monsoon, it often gets damaged making it difficult for commuters.
However, all the problems facing some 100 households will be laid to rest once the blacktopping starts.
“It will be comfortable for us while driving if the road gets blacktopped. It will not wear out our vehicle parts, unlike today,” said Jigme Wangchuk, a resident.
“The government has provided us with this farm road and it has benefited us a lot. But it has been almost two years that we have been hearing about the road being blacktopped. We would be grateful if it’s done at the earliest,” said Tsheltrim Dorji, another resident.
And while it is happy news for the residents, the Gup added that it’s high time for the people to shoulder the responsibility to take care of their farm road.
“So far, most people think that it’s the gewog’s responsibility to maintain the farm road. But it isn’t always like that. If the road is blacktopped, it will allow the people to take care of their road,” said Dechhenling Gup, Jimba Phuntsho.
Along with Shingchongri, two other farm roads, one each in Norbugang and Chhoekhorling gewogs will be blacktopped. They will be the first three farm roads to be blacktopped in Pema Gatshel.
More than Nu 90 M has been allocated to blacktop the three farm roads.
Thinley Dorji, Pema Gatshel
Edited by Sonam Pem
