After years of navigating a rough road, commuters travelling along the Tsirang Toed road are once again enjoying the comfort of a smooth blacktopped surface. The Department of Surface Transport’s regional office in Sarpang is carrying out the improvement works, which are now nearing completion. Commuters say the project has brought much-needed relief.
Improvement works on the more than 12-kilometre road between the Tsirang Toed Gewog Office and the tri-junction in Semjong Gewog began about a year ago. The project includes widening selected stretches of the road, constructing drainage systems, building retaining walls in landslide-prone areas, and resurfacing the road.
A culvert bridge over a stream near Dekiling village in Semjong Gewog was also constructed to improve traffic flow, especially during the monsoon season.
In the past, vehicles were often stranded or even washed away when the stream overflowed.
The road improvement works have already brought relief and comfort to daily commuters and drivers.
Samten Tshering, a driver said, “In the past, the road was riddled with potholes and was very challenging for both commuters and drivers. Today, more than 50 per cent of the blacktopping work has been completed, making travel much more convenient for us. However, I am not sure how long it will last.”
“With the improved road, we can now travel to Damphu without any problems and return home earlier, around 1 or 2 PM, as travel time has been significantly reduced,” said Sonam Tshomo, a resident of Tsirang Toed Gewog.
Tsirang Toed Gup Nanda Lal Kharel said, “Besides the five chiwogs of Tsirang Toed Gewog, the improved road will also benefit three gewogs of Pungtenchhu, Semjong, and Sergithang. Tsirang Toed Gewog has a central school, a ten-bed hospital, and a forest range office. So the improved road is benefiting everyone greatly.”
The gup, however, said, it would be grateful if the road improvement works could extend beyond the gewog centre in the next phase.
“It would be beneficial if the roads to Pungtenchhu and Sergithang gewogs were also blacktopped. The road along Dhongthri is in very poor condition, making it difficult for light vehicles to pass and even challenging for public transport buses,” added the gup.
The road improvement project is being carried out at a cost of over Nu 54 M with funding support from the Government of India.
The improved road is expected to boost the livelihoods of thousands of farmers across the four gewogs through better access to markets for their farm produce.
Pema Tshewang, Tsirang
Edited by Sangay Chezom
