If everything goes as planned, residents of Nichula Gewog in Dagana will have the much-awaited motorable bridge over the Sunkosh river within two years. During the recent Dzongkhag Tshogdu, the Lhamoi Dzingkha–Tashiding’s Member of Parliament said the bridge construction works will commence as soon as the Gross National Happiness Commission finalises the budget.
People there have been requesting a motorable bridge over the river for years now. Constructed in 2011, the 220-metre-long Hordung suspension bridge is the only way which connects the people of Nichula with the rest of the places.
But four-wheelers cannot cross the bridge. So, from there, people have to hire local boleros to transport the goods towards the gewog. The boleros entered the gewog from the Assam side in India a few years ago.
Citing the challenges facing the people in the gewog, the Nichula Gup Nima Wangchuk once again raised the urgent need for a bridge during the Dzongkhag Tshogdu.
The Gup said the absence of a motorable bridge over the river hampers developmental activities in the gewog.
He added that the lack of a motorable bridge over Sunkosh is also one of the reasons why Nichula Gewog is the least developed among the district’s 14 gewogs.
“Without a motorable bridge, we cannot execute any developmental activities on time. Works get deferred every time. Many people started migrating from the gewog to other places as they don’t have access to the basic public amenities,” said Nichula Gup.
Dagana district administration has proposed the Ministry of Works and Human Settlement for a bridge. But the proposal was on hold due to budget constraints.
“Our estimation was Nu 50 M but the Ministry of Works and Human Settlement sent us a letter stating the bridge would cost around Nu 95 M. However, the ministry will construct a bailey bridge within six months or a year or as soon as the ministry materialises adequate budget,” said District Engineer, Jamyang Dorji.
Lhamoi Dzingkha-Tashiding’s Member of Parliament, Hemant Gurung assured the house that the government will construct a bailey bridge over the river soon.
“After completing all documents for the bridge construction, we have submitted the documents to the Gross National Happiness Commission. The budget approval for the bridge couldn’t be finalised since the Prime Minister was out of the station for an official tour these days. But we will be constructing a bridge over the Sunkosh River in the current plan,” said the MP.
The district’s National Council Member Surjaman Thapa suggested the district forward the Dzongkhag Tshogdu’s resolution to the GNHC and the Prime Minister’s office.
“If the budget for the bridge is still yet to approve, it would be better if the house could forward the resolution to the government requesting the Prime Minister and GNHC to approve the budget immediately after the Prime Minister returns to Thimphu. This would help expedite the bridge construction works.”
The house unanimously decided to forward the resolution to the Gross National Happiness Commission and the Prime Minister’s Office requesting to approve the budget immediately.
Pema Tshewang, Dagana
Edited by Phub Gyem
