It has been about a few years since Phadzong Chiwog in Gongdu Gewog in Monggar was connected by road. But without a bridge over the Randalidrang River, the residents are not being able to make use of the road, especially during summer. When the river swells, the area remains cut off.
The 18-kilometre road connects Phadzong Chiwog with the Gongdu Gewog office. The construction of the road was completed in 2021.
There are about 40 households in the chiwog.
In the absence of a motorable bridge, crossing the Randalidrang River in vehicles is not possible, especially during summer.
“We have to visit the Gewog office often and it is difficult without a bridge. Moreover, it is challenging for people when they are sick and have to visit hospital. Moreover, we do not have a hospital in our chiwog,” said Leki Dorji, Phadzong Tshogpa.
“Our village is connected by road but without a bridge, we cannot use vehicles all the time. The wooden bridge gets washed away by the river during monsoon. So, we cannot go to Dagsa or Gyalposhing to buy essentials. We are having a difficult time,” said Drakpa, a resident.
“Without the bridge, we face a lot of problems. When children go to school, it is really difficult. Moreover, it is also inconvenient to go to hospitals and shops. We do not have any shops nearby,” said Sangay Dema, another resident.
The gewog administration is aware of the issue. As a temporary measure, the gewog administration has constructed a wooden bridge over the river. But such bridges used to get washed away during rainy days.
“I have requested the Dzongkhag Tshogdu to include the bridge construction in the central government’s budget. The district administration also agreed to prioritise it. In the 13th Five-Year-Plan, we have agreed to seek support from the government,” said Tshewang Tobgay, Gongdu Gup.
He added that the construction of the bridge was proposed during the second local government’s tenure. The design and survey were also conducted by the government to construct a 140-foot-long bridge.
However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and budget constraints, the construction could not start in the 12th Five-Year-Plan according to the gup.
Karma Wangdi
Edited by Tshering Zam
