The Eastern COVID-19 Task Force started an initiative to allow vehicle movement between the high risk and low-risk areas without escort, starting Monday. However, this is only for the vehicles installed with Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS). The task force started installing the device on some of the vehicles since March.
The device is installed on trucks carrying gypsum and others vehicles carrying essentials between high-risk area and low-risk areas. Trucks carrying gypsum for the State Mining Corporation Limited were allowed movement between Pema Gatshel and Samdrup Jongkhar in the first batch. An alarm will ring in the control room monitored by the police and De-Suups in case the trucks stop or move in the wrong directions.
“With GNSS we can monitor the vehicles very well. If a vehicle stops in high-risk areas, the control room will immediately call the particular driver and inquire about the reason. It was difficult to monitor all the vehicles with the escort service as there were too many vehicles. The distance between each escorted vehicle was more than five kilometres and we never know what they do in between. With GNSS we can monitor every vehicle,” said Samdrup Jongkhar Dzongda, Tharchin Lhendup.
The device helps in saving escort expenses and also help contain transmission of the Coronavirus.
According to State Mining Corporation Limited officials, they spend around Nu 200, 000 monthly for escort services.
It is also convenient for the drivers.
“With the escort service, we have to wait for all the vehicles so everyone can move together. Now with GNSS, we can move on our own whenever we want to,” said Pema Wangchuck who is a driver.
Drivers travelling from low-risk areas via Samdrup Jongkhar are not allowed to get out of their vehicles or mingle with people between Tshelongor and Samdrup Jongkhar. The drivers have to leave Tshelongor on the same day. Or they will be asked to stay in quarantine for seven days at their own expense if they do not comply with it.
Kinley Wangchuk, Samdrup Jongkhar
