People of Sektena chiwog in Gakiling Gewog, Haa can now breathe a sigh of relief. The road to the chiwog opened yesterday. The chiwog was cut off for three months after a bridge was washed away following heavy rainfall in October last year.
The swollen Amochhu washed away the bridge on 5th October.
A temporary bridge was constructed. But in less than a month, the raging river once again devoured it on 29th October.
With the bridge gone, people had to either rely on the helicopter service or choose to walk for a day to Dorokha for food, medical needs, and other essentials.
As people struggled, restoration works continued with the farm road also damaged. Two excavators were deployed to clear the damaged farm road leading to Sektena, home to 26 households. The work to repair roads to two other villages of Fentena and Babuna with 20 households will begin tomorrow.
Officials said that if machinery availability and fuel supply remain uninterrupted, road connectivity to the remaining villages could be restored within a month.
A temporary bailey bridge is ready. It was completed about a month ago with car engines roaring in the valley once again.
But relief is in sight, as a permanent bridge is expected by July, putting to rest public concerns over the temporary arrangement with the monsoon fast approaching
Karma Samten Wangda
Edited by Tandin Phuntsho
