The Mendrelgang Gewog Administration in Tsirang has barred a construction company and a few truckers from using their Gewog Centre Road. The company and the trucks are ferrying granular sub-base raw materials from Barshong Gewog to maintain a farm road in Kilkhorthang Gewog. The Mendrethang Gewog Administration says approval was not sought to use the GC road.
The construction company has transported some 60 truckloads of raw materials to lay GSB on the 11-kilometre farm road connecting Damphu Town and Sa-Tsangma Chiwog in KilkhorthangGewog.
However, after the restriction, the contractor couldn’t transport raw materials.
The company is still in need of about 100 truckloads to complete the entire farm road.
“As of now, we haven’t sought intervention from the Tsirang district administration regarding the issue since we have a few truckloads of GSB materials. But we will have to seek intervention from the district administration before we run out of GSB material. This is because we will not be able to finish work within the contract deadline if we don’t get enough raw materials on time. As a result, we will have to face consequences for failing to complete the work on time,” said Sonam Tobgay, Project Manager of Arjun Construction Company.
“The gewog administration and its people have disturbed vehicle movement as if we are travelling in the bordering towns. We were also restricted to travel through Tashipang farm road. But we have to use either of the roads since there are no other alternate routes,” said Bir Bdr. Tamang, a trucker.
Meanwhile, the Mendrelgang Gup, Yeshi, over a telephone interview told the BBS that travel restrictions were imposed after the gewog residents shared concerns about trucks damaging the GC road.
The gup added that trucks ferrying heavy construction materials have already damaged the GC road in some locations.
“The construction company should have informed the gewog administration submitting details to seek road use approval. The gewog could have looked into the possibility of issuing the approval if the company agreed to repair the road later. But the contractor failed to seek approval. This is a clear indication of how the contractor tried to escape if the road is damaged later on.”
The Mendrelgang Gewog Administration also wrote to the Mendrelgang Forest Range Office, a week ago, requesting the office to discontinue issuing permits to extract GSB materials in Barshong Gewog.
The letter also stated that the range office should be accountable for repairing the road if the truckers continue to transport raw materials using the GC road.
The road, which was resurfaced in 2020 has developed cracks and potholes in several locations.
Pema Tshewang, Tsirang
