Around 45 households in Tsirang’s Kapazhing Chiwog in Tsholingkhar Gewog can now enjoy smoother travel and improved market access for their farm produce. The blacktopping on the farm road has brought major relief to residents who depend largely on farming for their livelihoods.
The six-kilometre farm road was recently blacktopped, making travel easier and faster.
Tsholingkhar Gewog Administration spent around Nu 20 M for the project from the High Impact Community Development Project, funded by the government of India.
“We have a farmers’ vegetable group in the chiwog. The blacktopped road will help improve market access for farm produce. It will also reduce travel time for the residents when they visit the hospital and the gewog centre,” said Passang Tamang, Tsholingkhar Gup, Tsirang.
“With the blacktopped road, we can now grow more vegetables for sale. Earlier, it was difficult to sell our vegetables as fewer people visited our chiwog due to the poor road condition,” said Suk Maya Subba, Resident, Kapazhing, Tsholingkhar Gewog, Tsirang.
“When the road was not blacktopped, it was very difficult to travel. We had to spend huge amounts on vehicle maintenance,” said Lok Bdr. Subba, Kapazhing Tshogpa, Tsholingkhar Gewog, Tsirang.
The Kapazhing road blacktopping was prioritised after the initial plan to blacktop the Drubchhugang Chiwog farm road was deferred.
Tsholingkhar Gewog Administration said blacktopping of Drubchhugang Chiwog farm road is prioritised in the next phase.
Residents in the chiwog expressed dissatisfaction last year when their chiwog farm road blacktopping plan was pushed to the second phase, cancelling the initial plan.
The improved road is expected to benefit farmers in Kapazhing chiwog who rely heavily on vegetables and fruits for income generation.
Pema Tshewang, Tsirang
Edited by Phub Gyem
