In Samtse, what was initially developed as a measure to keep heavy vehicles out of the town to protect the roads is posing challenges for the bus drivers. A height restriction barrier installed at the entry and exit point to the Samtse town has left the bus drivers with no choice but to take a 4 km bypass from Gurung Basti to Dhamdhum. The bus drivers say taking the bypass is a trouble as the road is uneven and unpaved.
The issue arises from the height restriction barrier installed around a five-minute drive away from Samtse town, initially installed to protect roads from heavy vehicles. But this restriction has turned into a hurdle for bus drivers.
As the buses have to take the detour through the bumpy and unpaved bypass, it prolongs the travel time by almost thirty minutes besides making the journey uncomfortable for both passengers and drivers.
To overcome this obstacle, some bus drivers have found temporary fixes, such as carrying limited baggage on the roof of the bus to narrowly pass through the height restriction gate.
Inside the buses, passengers have to manage their journey surrounded by many bags and belongings.
Pemba, a bus driver said, “Drivers aren’t the only ones dealing with these difficulties, passengers are equally affected. Our buses can’t pass through the height restriction barriers, causing challenges for everyone. We have raised our concerns with the relevant offices, but we have yet to see any solutions to our problems.”
“Passengers often complain about the road conditions and the extra time it takes to reach their destination. There’s a risk of our vehicles getting damaged on this road. Removing the gate would be a better solution for us,” added another bus driver, Dhan Bdr Biswa.
“It only takes about five minutes to reach the town if we travel via the direct route, but the bumpy road takes about half an hour. When passengers bring a lot of luggage, we can only put a few on the roof and fit most of the baggage inside the bus with the passengers. We even had to cut the bus ladders because they got stuck at the gate,” said Dhurba Kumar Pradhan, who is also a bus driver.
According to the bus drivers, the height of the gate was recently raised by a few inches, but they say it is still inadequate. Some buses, even with fewer loads, are unable to pass through the gate comfortably. Today, about eight buses are travelling between Samtse, Phuentshogling and Thimphu.
Regarding the four-kilometre bypass, the Department of Surface Transport said the road blacktopping works will commence in this financial year. The office reported that project estimates have been prepared, and they are currently in the process of working on its designs.
Passang Dorji, Samtse
Edited by Phub Gyem
