It has been three months since Pangzam, a bailey bridge in Thrimshing Gewog in Trashigang collapsed. And the villagers of two chiwogs have been walking from one road point to another using a suspension bridge. Now, they are requesting the works and human settlement ministry to construct a motorable bridge at the earliest.
The bailey bridge collapsed in June this year due to continuous rainfall. And since then, the villagers of Ramchongma-Yemkhar and Thungkhar-Berdungma chiwogs have been walking for about half an hour to cross Nyera Ama Chhu via suspension bridge carrying goods on their backs.
They carry the goods on their backs and use the suspension bridge to cross Nyera Ama Chhu.
“We are worried that we will not get a new bridge soon. We are struggling after the bridge collapsed,” said Tshewang Gyeltshen, a villager.
“From Wamrong, we get grocery items till here and then we transship to another road point. Of course, if it is once or twice, it is not a problem. But we have to carry lots of goods and hire a labourer to transship it,” said Rinchen Dorji, another villager.
According to the villagers, they can reach the gewog and Wamrong town within a short duration when there was a bridge.
But without a bridge, more than 40 vehicles remain idle in the two chiwogs.
For now, as an alternate route, the gewog has deployed machines to clear the farm road connecting the Samdrup Jongkhar- Trashigang highway from Berdungma village. However, due to the long distance and poor road conditions, not many prefer travelling along that route.
In the meantime, the gewog has written to the Ministry of Works and Human Settlement on the need for a bridge.
“Officials from the Department of Roads visited the site recently and conducted a survey. They said the bridge span is about 220-230 feet. So, currently, they are working on cost estimation and other related works,” said Thrimshing Gup Yegi Dorji.
The collapsed bridge was constructed some seven years ago spending Nu 7.3 M.
Without a definite deadline, it looks like the villagers will have to struggle for some time.
Sonam Dargay, Trashigang
Edited by Tshering Zam
