From this year, commuters travelling along the Khothakpa-Tshelingor highway in Pema Gatshel will enjoy a smooth ride. The highway is being widened and blacktopped in three phases. Works in two phases are expected to be completed by next month but phase one is scheduled to complete by May.
The widening works from Waagombrag to Khothakpa were completed. Some parts of the road were blacktopped while the workers are blacktopping the remaining.
The residents have welcomed the news.
“When blacktopping works are complete, the road will be better. The road will be like the Thimphu-Phuentshogling highway,” said Namgay Wangdi, a resident.
“Till now, light vehicles have been facing problems. Now the road is being blacktopped and it takes about 15 to 20 minutes to reach Pema Gatshel,” said Khenrab Yezer, another resident.
The work was supposed to complete last year. However, the pandemic and heavy rainfall delayed the progress.
The two contractors were given seven months’ extension.
According to the contractors, they are trying to complete the work before the deadline in March.
“When we were widening the road, the dust from the widening works affected the residents. So, we are hoping to complete the work soon. And we are targeting to complete it by next month.” said Ugyen Tenzin, the Project Engineer of KD Builders Pvt Ltd.
But the blacktopping works from Tshelingor to Waagombrag which falls in phase one is scheduled to be completed in May. For now, the contractor is carrying out widening works.
The Pema Gatshel-Tshelingor highway widening works were started in 2020 with a budget of over Nu 400 M.
Thinley Dorji, Pema Gatshel
Edited by Tshering Zam
