With the reconstruction of the washed-way bridge over Amochhu delayed by the early monsoon, efforts are underway to secure an alternative route to Denchukha Gewog in Samtse. One option runs through Puena, the farthest village of Phuentshogling Gewog, but Denchukha’s closest neighbour, separated only by a river. The Infrastructure and Transport Minister, along with officials from Samtse and Phuentshogling, visited the area yesterday to assess the route.
Puena lies about a four-hour drive from Phuentshogling town. Although it is among the most remote villages in Phuentshogling Gewog, it sits directly across the Puena River from Demjee village in Denchukha Gewog. They are connected by a suspension bridge over the river.
Earlier, Phuentshogling Gewog extended its farm road by 2.5 kilometres towards Demjee to improve access to its remote villagers, and has been maintaining it since. That decision has now made the road a vital link for Denchukha’s residents.
“There’s a need for a bailey bridge here. But people want it immediately. We cannot compromise on quality and fulfil their demand. It will be risky and a waste of resources. We informed the same to the public,” said Chandra Bdr Gurung, Infrastructure and Transport Minister.
While a motorable bridge sits as an option amidst urgency, the existing suspension bridge is already a lifeline for the people of Denchukha.
“People are suffering as essentials run low. Even the shops are running out of stock, and people have been borrowing from one another to get by. Moreover, we have not been able to take our dairy and farm products to the market like before. Transporting animal feeds is equally challenging. For now, we are trying to manage with this alternative route,” said Chandra Bdr Rai, Domchhukha_Shitakha Tshogpa, Denchukha Gewog, Samtse.
Denchukha Gup, along with some villagers, proposed a temporary log bridge over the Puena River as an immediate measure. Officials, however, cautioned that a log bridge could be risky given the current weather conditions. Meanwhile, constructing a permanent bridge in the area could take months.
People of Denchukha have been struggling since the motorable bridge over Amochhu, which connected them to the rest of the country, got washed away last October. It was scheduled to be reconstructed by the mid of this year, but the early onset of monsoon disrupted the works.
“We have been facing problems transporting essential supplies. Also, people here depend on livestock and agriculture, and taking their products to market has become a challenge. The problem has impacted people’s economic activities and livelihoods,” said Vaskar Chapagai, Denchukha Gup, Samtse.
Following the minister’s visit, the government has assured continued maintenance of the farm roads linking Denchukha gewog to Phuentshogling via Puena. If the weather holds, the bridge over Amochhu is expected to be complete by the year end.
Until then, Denchukha’s link to the rest of the country rests on a footbridge over the Puena River and on hopes of a more forgiving monsoon.
Kinley Dem
Edited by Sonam Wangdi
