As the monsoon intensifies, the condition of the Phuentshogling-Samtse Highway at Amochhu is only expected to worsen. Flooding and debris from an active landslide above the Amochhu gorge have frequently cut off the road, while officials say they have limited options to mitigate the problem.
A stretch of the highway near the STCBL fuel depot at Amocchu has been flooding almost every night since the mid of last month. Debris from an active landslide above the area is washed down onto the road, blocking traffic for hours.
Kezang Thinley, a resident said, “The road is flooded every time it rains. And sometimes, it gets blocked by debris even when there is no rain. It is making lives difficult for both travellers and business people like us. Students have also not been able to get to school on time. Apart from our vehicles getting damaged, our lives are at risk too.”
Another resident Dawa Penjor said, “Our sites are in Toorsa. But due to frequent road blocks, we cannot get home most nights. I think it would really help if the machines can clear the debris and the river is diverted to wash it away.”
The Phuentshogling Thromde says the situation is beyond their capacity to fully control. The debris accumulate faster than it can be cleared.
The Thromde’s immediate focus is keeping traffic moving through regular clearance works.
Executive Secretary of Phuentshogling Thromde, Pema said “The preliminary survey shows that the slides are resulting from an active landslide upstream. Even time it rains, the debris is washed down and at times, the problem occurs even when it doesn’t rain. No matter how much clearing works are carried out, just two hours of rainfall and the area is flooded and blocked.”
The Thromde also says that it will no longer carry out clearance operations at night as the risk to the workers are too high. That means any overnight blockage will persist until daylight, leaving commuters and emergency vehicles with no alternative route.
For now, the Thromde can only clear what daylight allows and commuters can only hope that each night passes without incident. With the monsoon yet to reach its peak, the question is not whether the road will flood again, but how much worse will it get before a lasting solution is found.
Kinley Dem
