After nearly 10 months of enduring dust and a damaged road following last year’s flood, residents and commuters in Thimphu’s Dechencholing are finally seeing progress. The Thimphu Thromde has finally begun blacktopping the road, bringing hope for the people.
As residents along the Dechencholing road worked to rebuild their lives after the flood, the dust lingered in the air, making recovery all the harder.
For months, potholes and uneven surfaces filled the road.
However, Thimphu Thromde has begun repairing the road since last week. A one-kilometre stretch, from the Royal Body Guard’s gate to the Dechenphu Lhakhang junction, is now being blacktopped with a budget of over Nu 15 M.
Although the blacktopping alone might not solve all problems, many residents say it has brought relief.
“Before blacktopping, the dust was unbearable. We had to clean our shop twice a day, wear masks inside our shops, and customers avoided stopping by due to the dust. Things are much cleaner and pleasant now,” said Namgyel, a shopkeeper at Dechencholing.
“We faced a lot of difficulties reaching school. The poor road affected our health and attendance. With the road now improved, it’s easier and healthier to travel,” said Bemol Mongar, a student of Dechencholing HSS, Thimphu.
“After the flood, the road was terrible, muddy in the rain and dusty in the sun, blowing dust into our houses. It was inconvenient, but now things have changed with the blacktopping works,” said Passang Dorji, a taxi driver in Thimphu.
Moreover, the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport plans to replace the hume pipes along the road and construct a bridge over the stream.
Devika Pradhan
Edited by Sangay Chezom
