In the remote village of Zhushidingkha in Chhukha, the sounds of everyday life are fading. With most of the younger population gone and only the elderly remaining, fears are growing that the village may soon be abandoned entirely. Residents are now calling for urgent improvements to road access, hoping to reconnect their community before it’s too late.
Zhushidingkha is one of the most remote villages in Samphelling Gewog, located more than 5 kilometres downhill from the Pasakha–Manitar road.
The access road, constructed five years ago in phases due to the steep and challenging terrain, has provided a vital lifeline to the community.
While villagers express gratitude for the road, they say its steep gradient remains a major obstacle, with most vehicles struggling to climb the slope.
This ongoing difficulty in accessibility, residents fear, could accelerate the outmigration of the remaining population from the village.
“With poor road accessibility, young people have already moved out of the village in search of better opportunities. Only the elderly are left here, and it is becoming increasingly challenging. We cannot even cultivate paddy due to the lack of sufficient irrigation water. Growing vegetables is also difficult because we don’t have proper road access,” said Tashi, a resident of Zhushidingkha.
“It’s not just the monsoon that causes problems. Some stretches of the road are extremely steep. It becomes risky, as vehicles struggle to climb uphill, and we often have to come together to pull them up using ropes,” said Nima, another resident of Zhushidingkha.
Residents from neighbouring villages have also expressed the need for improved road access, as Zhushidingkha is home to the only temple in the entire gewog.
For any religious ceremonies or spiritual gatherings, people from various villages must travel to this temple.
“If the road is improved, it would be a great help for the people in the village. The only temple under Samphelling Gewog is here, and poor accessibility makes it difficult to take care of it. Carrying loads and walking long distances is hard, especially with so few people left,” said Rinchen, a resident of Dorophu.
According to the Phuentshogling dungkhag officials, routine maintenance works are carried out.
However, officials said reworking the road may not be possible as there is no option given the difficult terrain, which offers little room for alternative routes or major upgrades.
Kinley Dem, Chhukha
Edited by Tandin Phuntsho
